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January 5th, 2006

News

June Primary has several local positions up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lassen College closure leaves county officials with plenty of questions

By Chad Sellmer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Chad Sellmer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Modoc RAC meets Monday

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

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

Erin Forrest

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Willa Eloise Mills Utt

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

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

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

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

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

Ted Wallace Brown

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sports

Wood second at Reno

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

January 12th, 2006

News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No certainty RAC funding will be continued

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resource Advisory Committee considers projects for '07

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Obituaries

Eugene 'Jerry' Palmer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dollie Mayers

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

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

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

Larry Van Meter

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

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

Gilbert Ellenberger

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

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

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

Herbert Ivory Dally

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Memorial services are pending.

Dominique Angelique Forrest

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

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

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

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

Sports

Braves split to open SCL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Braves stunned at Anderson tourney

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

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

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

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

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

Modoc girls open with two wins

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

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

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

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

Modoc junior varsity is 1-2

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

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

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

January 19th, 2006

News

Cotta will run for District Attorney

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Small town life can bring solution closer to home

By Jane S. Holloway
Publisher

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Transportation Commission pushes Warner Street renovation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CVC group aims to create visitor friendly center

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Forest temporarily close for fuel-wood

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

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

Douglas Dale Dwyer

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

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

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

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

Doug will be greatly missed.

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

Erma Kennedy Conley

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

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

Emma Lucile Stopp

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

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

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

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

Sports

Braves beat Cougars 64-54

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wood, Crutcher top local wrestlers at Burney

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

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

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

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

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

The Braves travel to Foothill this weekend.

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

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

Girls beat Weed

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

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

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

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

SV boys start 1-3 in league

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

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

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

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

Modoc junior varsity is 1-2

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

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

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

January 26th, 2006

News

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Education meeting brings issues out into open

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No hearing date set for Panner

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other Board News:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MHS Class of '66 planning reunion

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

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

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

Obituaries:

Bill L. Long

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Erma Kennedy Conley

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joseph F. DiVittorio

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

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

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

Sports

Braves fall at Etna, beat Bulldogs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Modoc wins Fall River invite

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

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

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

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

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

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

Turnovers cost Braves at Etna

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

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

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

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

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

The Braves have Trinity at Modoc Friday.

SV boys even record with wins

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

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

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

Hayfork whips Hornet girls

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

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

Kayte Christensen: a globetrotter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

News

Sheriff Mix will hang up badge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Snow levels not that great

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

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

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

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

Modoc's low housing costs make the big time

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

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

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

They were noticed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Likely declines to serve Madeline

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Register for Home Show soon

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

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

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

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

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

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

Obituaries:

Melissa (Oxley) Hart-Clayton

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

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

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

She graduated from Dunsmuir High School in 1927.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jeffery Warren Conger

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

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

Jeff loved to spend time with his children.

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

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

Kerr Mortuary in Alturas is handling arrangements.

Jack Marius Patereau

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

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

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

Sports

Braves favored to win 7th straight SCL wrestling title

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Braves leave defense in locker room

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fourth quarter buries Braves

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

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

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

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

Tigers beat Hornets

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

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

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

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

SV girls split in league

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

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

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

February 9, 2006

News

Da Funk will not seek re-election

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

County moves to combine Clerk, Auditor departments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Medicine Lake geothermal project draws protests

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Jungle Book' auditions for youths

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

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

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

Generate excitement with Home Show booth

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

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

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

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

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

Obituaries:

Bonnie J. Ford

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

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

Arrangements are under the direction of Kerr Mortuary, Alturas.

Irene M. Collin

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

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

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

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

Sports

Braves pin SCL title with 7 champions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Modoc girls crushed by Bishop Quinn

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

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

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

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

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

Hornets lose close one to Cards

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

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

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

Bulldogs were up 21-12 by halftime.

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

Boys whip Bishop Quinn 64-42

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alumni gameset for SV

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

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

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

Modoc JVs split

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

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

February 16th, 2006

News

New faces in races for County, City offices

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Public hearing on Clerk/Auditor consolidation Tuesday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reality check on FS schools money

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Register for Home Show soon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Obituaries:

E. Keith Jacques, Sr.

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

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

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

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

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

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.

Mary Rodman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sports

Hight wins Pomona race

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Modoc leads SCL going into final game

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

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

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

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

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

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

Girls win SCL pair

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

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

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

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

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

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

SV boys beat Happy Camp

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

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

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

Hornet girls finish Friday

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

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

February 23, 2006

News

Family escapes fire unscathed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Candidates are filing for local offices

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Supes reverse course, do not combine departments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SV hospital fee increase on June 6 ballot

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

City mosquito program on June 6 ballot

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

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

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

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

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

Obituaries:

Beulah Clark Blevins

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Roland E. Smith

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Katherine Cecilia Quigley

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

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

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

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

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

Valorie Lynn Orner

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

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

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

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

Sports

Braves third in Small School, head to Masters this weekend

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Braves win varsity boys title

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

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

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

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

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

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

Portola knocks Braves from playoffs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hornet boys fall at Maxwell 57-52

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

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

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

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

March 2nd, 2006

News

Districts voice concerns on rural forest funding impacts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

County will reconsider Clerk/Auditor deal

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

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

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

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

New faces popping up in election

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

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

Four people have taken out papers for the two seats on the Alturas City Council, incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass and challengers Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

The race for Sheriff between current Undersheriff Mark Gentry and retiring California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter could possibly have one more challenger.

The Board of Supervisors voted not to consolidate the Clerk/Auditor departments last Tuesday. However, that question could be on the agenda again next week.

Auditor Judi Stevens has said she will seek re-election and senior County Clerk Diana McCulley is seeking the Clerk's position. If the Supervisors vote to consolidate the departments, the county clerk only position would not be up for election.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta and local attorney John Lawson, who the counsel for the Alturas City Council, have announced they'll run for the DA position.

Gary Jones, Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator of Business Services, Adult and Alternative Schools, Transportation and After School Program will run against County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw.

Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch will seek another term in office.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, County Clerk, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools. In addition, the seats for the county Republican and Democratic Central Committees are up for election.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake has taken out papers to run against Bradshaw. No one had taken out papers to run against Macsay.

In the City of Alturas, City Treasurer Kathie Alves is seeking re-election.

According to Madison, the nomination papers will have to be returned by March 10. In any office where an incumbent does not file, candidates have an additional five days to file. The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices.

It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Hospital debt up to $5 million

While there have been some rather rosy comments from management about the success of Modoc Medical Center since September, Modoc County Auditor Judi Stevens said her figures show an increase in the debt to the county.

According to her records, the debt Modoc Medical Center owes to the county is $5,071,818.73 as of Feb. 27. That's an increase from September, 2005's debt of $4,690,812.46.

The debt is fluid and did drop in November to $4,585,423.21. Month by month the debt looked like this: September $4,690,812; October $4,741,129; November $4,585,423; December $4,867,652; January $4,793,393; and February $5,071,818.

The increase from September to February is $381,006. The Modoc Record will publish the actual debt at the end of each month.

O'Malley named MHS Principal

The Modoc Joint Unified School District has hired Tom O'Malley as Modoc High School Principal effective July 1, 2006.O'Malley will have just completed his first year as MHS Assistant Principal when he takes over the top spot. He was selected after an interview process, including a community panel and the Board of Trustees.

O'Malley is a Modoc High School graduate and graduated from Chico State University. He has taught at both Willows and Corning High Schools in mathematics. In addition, he coached at the junior varsity and varsity levels in both baseball and football.

O'Malley, his wife Julie and their two children reside in Alturas.

Obituaries:

Letha Colton Morley

A Memorial Service for long-time Alturas resident Letha Morley will be held at 1 p.m. today, March 2 at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas. Dr. Ben Zandstra will conduct the service. Mrs. Morley passed away with heart failure, at the age of 88 on February 25, 2006, at Modoc Medical Center's Skilled Nursing Facility in Alturas.
Born Letha Colton on August 29, 1917 in Kimbal, Nebraska, she graduated from Modoc Union High School with the class of 1937 in Alturas, CA. She married Alturas native, George Morley, in Reno, Nevada in 1942. They were married for 60 years, when George passed away May 5, 2002.

Mrs. Morley was a homemaker, a noted seamstress and an avid fisherman. She served on local Election Boards for many years.

She is survived by her brother Eugene M. Colton and sister-in-law Mary Ann Colton of Condon, OR; nephews Ronald Nichols, Springfield, OR; Byron Nichols, Randell, WA; and Steven Nichols, Springfield, OR; Kessner Funk, Tahoe, NV; Aaron Colton, Morgan Hill, CA; Kevin Colton, Hollister, CA; nieces Ramona Seright and Christine King of Redding, CA; Pamela Groves, Lexington, Kentucky; Julie Britt, and Carrie Cota, Hollister, CA.

Donations in Mrs. Morley's memory may be directed to Warnerview Long-term Nursing Care or a charity of the donor's choice. Kerr Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Claudine Francis Schafer

Alturas resident Claudine Francis Schafer passed away February 25, 2006 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The family will gather for a service at a later date in Salt Lake.

Claudine Morrissey was born on February 11, 1915 in Steiner, Nebraska. She received her education in Nebraska and attended college in Chicago to study to become a nurse, a profession in which she later worked.
Claudine and Edmund Schafer were married November 20, 1946 in Nebraska. He preceded her in death December 5, 2005. The couple had made Alturas their home for the past 25 years, where their daughter Phyliss Miller and son Bob Schafer reside. Mrs. Schafer is also survived by daughter Jeiwie Munoz, Salt Lake; son Larry Durante, Garden Grove, CA and son Jim Schafer, Milomar, CA.

Sports

Late News: Liberty Beats Braves 64-44

The Liberty Christian Patriots, ranked number one in the North Section boys loop proved their mettle, although it took a big fourth period, to beat the fifth-seeded Modoc Braves 64-44 in Redding Wednesday night.

The game was close through three with Modoc trailing 15-14 in the first and 26-24 by half. Liberty increased its lead to 40-34 in the third. In the fourth, they outscored Modoc 24-10.

Ross Burgess and Micah Eppler led Modoc with 11 each. Four of Modoc's players fouled out in the fourth: Burgess, Eppler, Taylor Dunn and Grant Hall.

Travis Wood wins section, heads to state finals

Modoc senior Travis Wood won the 152-pound North Section Championship in the Master's Tournament last weekend in Redding and will compete this weekend at the California State Championships in Bakersfield.

Wood became the first MHS Wrestler to wins the North Section title three years running and he placed fourth as a freshman. His brother, current freshman Josh Wood, matched his brother's feat this week by placing fourth at the Masters in the 189-pound division.

Both wrestlers are sons of Modoc head coach Shaun and Patty Wood. "I'm obviously very proud of both of them," Wood said this week. "We have never had a wrestler win section three years in a row and place in his freshman year. Josh has a shot at the same history."

Travis has a current season record of 40-3 with 35 by pin. He also set the career win mark with 150, breaking Robert Flournoy's 127. He held the freshman win record at 34, but Josh just broke that with his 37-9 season, with 33 by pin.

"Travis wants to improve on last year's eighth place finish," said Wood. "It's certainly possible and I expect him to wrestle well."

He beat Jake Cordona, of Foothill, 6-4 in the Championship match at the Masters. He came back from being down 4-2 on what coach Wood said was a questionable award of points to Cordona in the first round. He opened the tourney by pinning Mt. Shasta's Jeremy Cooper at 2:32, beat Max Struble of Durham 16-0, and pinned Paul Nevarez of Live Oak at 2:57.

Josh Wood opened the tourney by pinning Chax Alexander of Anderson at 2:28, and then beat Shasta's Zach Koutik 6-3. He lost to the top seed Enterprise's Hasem Mirholi 15-6, then pinned Dan Owens of Oroville at 2:45 and lost to second seeded Danny Campos of Winters 10-3.

Ian Jacques had an excellent Master's tourney and placed sixth at 215 pounds. He opened the event by pinning Anderson's Zack Gibbons and was then pinned by second seed Troy Robison of Sutter at 1:56. He then beat Corning's Cory Lamb 6-4, beat Andrew Thurman of Mt. Shasta 13-0; was pinned quickly by Anthony Winn, Foothill and was then pinned by Gibbons.

Tulelake's Johnny Luscombe won the 145–pound championship by pinning each of his opponents: John Ellsmore, Anderson; Kent Thayer, Willows; Jake Pulliam, Durham, and Foothill's Jason Post.

According to Wood, 130-pound Brian Weed wrestled well, but was in one of the toughest weight classes. He lost to fourth-seeded Brandon Livingston of Orland; won by technical fall over Corning's Brent Bickley 18-3 and lost to Mykal Foland, Anderson, 2-1.

Sheridan Crutcher, at 135 pounds, was pinned by West Valley's Nick Brewer; beat Gridley's Deniko Sisk 6-5 and was pinned by Lassen's Drew Lipton.

Bill Hammerness, 171 pounds, lost to Live Oak's Brandon Hammel 7-5; beat West Valley's Chris Beauchman 15-l and lost to Shasta's Austin Myers 4-2.

Martin Corn, 125 pounds was pinned by second-seeded Derke Ellis, Red Bluff; and lost to Mt. Shasta's Robbie Kreowski 8-4.

Cain Madrigal, 119 pounds, was pinned by Quest Cummings, Pleasant Valley and then by Allan Holbrook of Enterprise.

Modoc's Jesse Harer was unable to qualify for the heavyweight division. He had been ill and dropped 10 pounds to about 183. In order to make the minimum weight for the heavyweight division, he had to weigh in at 191, but couldn't regain the bulk. Wood said Harer would have probably placed had he been able to make weight.
For the season, Jacques had a record of 23-14; Crutcher was at 37-12; Weed at 28-10; Hammerness 23-15; and Harer 12-5.

Modoc dominates in first two playoff games

Modoc's Braves met the number one seed in the Division V Tourney last night at Liberty Christian, after Record press time.

The Braves stated strong in the first round of the playoffs, beating Esparto 78-65 at home and followed that with a 80-62 win at Quincy. Liberty Christian had no trouble in their first two games, beating Williams 69-33 and Tulelake 81-47.

"We know Liberty Christian will be tough," said Modoc coach Bunk Richardson. "But, if we keep playing the way we've played the past two games, we should be able to knock them off. We'll put a different defense on them and try to stop their leading scoring. Their players who aren't used too carrying the scoring will have to step up."
Richardson said he's been very please with the team's attitude and believes they're confident going into the Liberty game. "The key is everyone is playing team ball now," he said. "We pretty solid and we probably have the best shot at knocking Liberty out of the tourney."

Having to play at Liberty is a problem, since the gym is small, but Richardson said the team will adjust.
Modoc had little trouble against a quick and solid Quincy team Friday. The Braves took a 23-10 lead in the first and maintained a 42-30 lead by half. Modoc put the game away in the third with a 63-44 lead and cruised through the fourth.

Ross Burgess led the scoring with 24 and Micah Eppler added 23. The defense, led by Taylor Dunn and Zeke Bonham held Quincy's top scorers to one three-point shot in the game an 15 points between them.

In the Esparto game last Wednesday, Modoc took a 22-13 first quarter lead and built that to a 36-20 halftime advantage. By the end of three, Modoc led 64-47 and went on for the 78-65 win.
Burgess led the scoring with 22, Eppler added 17 and Dunn added 14.

If Modoc beat Liberty, they would play in the section title game at Shasta College March 4. The other semi-final match-up has Redding Christian meeting Pierce.

The Modoc girls were knocked out of the playoffs by Portola in the first round. Portola lost in the second round to Fall River 66-62.

Dunn, Wood on All-star team

Modoc's Taylor Dunn and Travis Wood have been selected for this year's Lion's All-Star football game. Dunn is a lineman and Wood, a quarterback. Central Valley Coach Matt Hunsaker is the coach of this year's team. He was formerly the Big Valley Cardinal coach.

March 9, 2006

News

County combines Clerk, Auditor departments

In a reversal of a reversal, the Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted to pass an ordinance combining the Modoc County Clerk and Modoc County Auditor/Recorder Departments.

Supervisor Ray Anklin of Canby, was the deciding "yes" vote Tuesday, changing his position from the no side. He joined with Supervisors Dan Macsay and Mike Dunn in favor of combining the offices. Supervisors Pat Cantrall and Dave Bradshaw voted against, consistent with their last vote.

The County Board had voted 3-2 against the consolidation at a Feb. 21 meeting, but Supervisors Dunn and Anklin asked that the issue be put back on the table for reconsideration. In that vote, Cantrall, Bradshaw and Anklin cast no votes.

County Counsel John Kenny was not present during Tuesday's vote, but had sent a memo to the Board outlining his legal opinion that the consolidation of the department was legal and that the timing was appropriate, even if unacceptable to some people.

One of the major issues brought up by those people opposed to the consolidation is the fact that the change is being made during the candidate filing period, which closes March 10, but the ordinance will not be come law for 30 days.

With the change, the elected position of Modoc County Clerk would be absorbed into the Clerk/Auditor position, eliminating the election for Clerk. The elected position on the June ballot would be for Clerk/Auditor only.

""While the timing of the Modoc County ordinance may be inconvenient to some, it does not deprive the supervisors of the authority to consolidate offices," Kenny wrote. "The power to consolidate found in Government code has been found to be consistent with the California Constitution. In my opinion, the filing of candidates for office does not deprive the Board of Supervisors off the authority to consolidate offices. There exists no vested right or private interest in a public office."

He further states that, "The concern was that the ordinance, if adopted, would be effective after the close of the filing date for the June election. The suggestion was that filing by candidates precluded the supervisors from thereafter consolidating the offices. It is to be remembered that if the offices were consolidated, the consolidation would not occur until the beginning of the next term for the consolidated offices." That would be January, 2007.

The issue comes up as Deputy Clerk Diana McCulley has filed nomination papers for the County Clerk position, which would have been in the June 6 ballot. County Auditor Recorder Judy Stevens has also filed for re-election. With the consolidation of offices, McCulley would not be qualified to run for the combined position, because of the requirements for the auditor position.

"I was looking forward to serving the people of Modoc County as their Clerk, but I am truly disappointed for the voters," McCulley said Wednesday. "They have lost their right to vote for the people's elected position of Modoc County Clerk, not the Board of Supervisors' position to do as they want. Obviously, the Board has deprived the people's voice for this elected office.

"The position of Modoc County Clerk has been an elected public office since the county seeded from Siskiyou County in 1874. A part of Modoc history is being abolished. My concern is which elected office will the Board take control of next?"

Local citizen Mark Halverson filed a complaint in Modoc Superior Court Tuesday seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the application of the ordinance. Filing the injunction, in itself, has no effect on the ordinance until a court hearing.

He argues that the ordinance would be in violation of state law and that it has the "potential to change the upcoming June elections and leaves less than three days for individuals to declare their candidacy."
He also argues that the Board did not publicly release in board packet form documents detailing some potential costs savings to the public. Those cost savings estimates were reported in at least two separate newspapers.
Halverson, who is not an attorney, states, "If this ordinance is applied, there are individuals that have already filed nomination papers for the position of County Clerk and others that have filed nomination papers for County Auditor/Recorder. The Board of Supervisors incorrectly believes that they can simply change the printing of the ballot to reflect the ordinance, even though the names and positions were set when those individuals seeking elected offices filed their declaration for nomination...simply put, how can one file for the position of County Auditor/Recorder/Clerk when, in fact, it will not exist for 30 days from March 7, 2006?"

The Board had voted unanimously to enact an ordinance creating a separate appointed Clerk of the Board, and that issue was not up for discussion this week and remains on the books.

Several members of the audience spoke out against the proposal to combine the offices. Some questioned the timing, with the change being done in the middle of a candidate nomination period, whether the board had the legal authority to make the change and whether the issue should go to a public vote.

Supervisors listened, and answered questions concerning the legal issues, and the majority voted in favor. The ordinance is now published in the Modoc County Record and the public has 30 days to comment or take other action before it is formally made law.

Desert bandit was Canadian

The infamous desert bandit, who hit several places in eastern Nevada west of Surprise Valley in 2003-2004 has been identified as Canadian George Robert Johnston.

Johnston, age 43, led law enforcement had a long, mysterious, and arduous chase through Nevada, parts of California, Oregon and Utah that made him near legendary. The massive manhunt ended in July, 2004, just outside Death Valley when, surrounded by police on the ground and in the air above him, Johnston shot himself in the head. His death cleared up the string of burglaries, but since he had no identification, created a whole other investigation.

The Modoc County Record and several other newspapers ran news and feature stories on the "Bandit".
Following the suicide, Inyo County Inspector Dave Van Norman, of the San Bernardino County Coroner's office would spend more than a year trying to identify the remains. His break came when he looked outside the United States into Canada and contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

In turned out that in 1997, a man named George Robert Johnston was arrested for cultivating 4,000 marijuana plants on Prince Edward Island. While he argued the marijuana was for his wife in her struggle with cancer, he was convicted and sent to prison. He jumped parole in 1999 and headed to the Untied States. He surfaced in 2003 in Death Valley and started a string of thefts in and around the ghost town of Ballarat, earning him the nickname of the "Ballarat Bandit". From there the chase led law enforcement through four states for almost a year.

He was tracked on foot, on horseback, using all-terrain vehicles, four-wheel drives and airplanes. The looked for him during daylight and used night vision scopes at dark.

What made him legendary was he managed to elude officers and they marveled at what appeared to be superhuman endurance. It was said he could run five miles uphill at solid speed and would cover 60 miles of snow-covered northern desert on foot in a day.

He was buried in San Bernardino and his family has the right to claim his remains and move them to Canada.

Deadline for some candidates is Friday

The deadline for candidates to file papers for the June 6 primary election is March 10 and some races are being set, while other positions remain unchallenged.

There is interest in the race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council. Incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass have filed with challenges from Rod Gately, Keith Jacques and Rollie Gilliam also took out papers this week.

The race for Sheriff is currently between Undersheriff Mark Gentry and retiring California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter.

The Board of Supervisors voted not to consolidate the Clerk/Auditor departments last Tuesday. That would eliminate a race for County Clerk.

Auditor Judi Stevens has said she will seek re-election and senior deputy clerk Diana McCulley was seeking the Clerk's position. Stevens remains unopposed.

Cheri Budmark has filed papers to run for Modoc County Assessor.

She is at yet unopposed in the Assessor's race.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term. In those races, the nomination period is extended for five days.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta and local attorney John Lawson, who is the counsel for the Alturas City Council, have announced they'll run for the DA position.

Gary Jones, Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator of Business Services, Adult and Alternative Schools, Transportation and After School Program will run against County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw.

Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch will seek another term in office.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools. In addition, the seats for the county Republican and Democratic Central Committees are on the ballot.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake has taken out papers to run against Bradshaw. Macsay remains unopposed.

In the City of Alturas, City Treasurer Kathie Alves is seeking re-election. She is also unopposed.
According to Madison, the nomination papers will have to be returned by March 10. In any office where an incumbent does not file, candidates have an additional five days to file. The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices.

It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Man arrested for DUI following injury accident

An Alturas man was arrested Tuesday afternoon alleging driving under the influence following a two-vehicle injury accident at the County Road 54 and County Road 60 intersection (road to Cal Pines and the turn to the Alturas Landfill).

According to the California Highway Patrol, Amanda Derner, age 21, Alturas, was driving a 1993 Toyota 4Runner eastbound on CR 54 at about 55 m.p.h. approaching the intersection. Danny Fitch, age 34, was driving a 1989 Chevy pickup northbound on CR60 and was stopped at the intersection. Derner saw the Fitch vehicle and slowed to about 45 m.p.h., unsure of what Fitch was going to do.

The CHP reports that Fitch pulled onto CR54 and turned west. He crossed over the centerline into the path of the Derner vehicle. The vehicles struck head on.

Derner and a one-year-old child, Kayla Derner, were transported to Modoc Medical Center by a passing motorist, both sustaining moderate injuries. Fitch was removed from his pickup by ambulance crews and transported to Mercy Hospital in Redding, also sustaining moderate injuries. The CHP reports he was charged with DUI.

The CHP reports that Fitch was involved in another minor accident just minutes before the injury accident. He was driving his pickup on CR60 and had turned into a private residence. He backed out of that driveway and knocked over a fence post. He fled the scene and then was involved in the other accident.

The CHP reports moderate injuries in a single-vehicle accident March 3, 4:50 p.m. west of the Cedar Pass Summit.

According to the CHP James Davis, age 49, Alturas, was driving a 1994 Chevy eastbound on a snow-covered road when he broke traction. He lost control and the vehicle ran off the road and collided with a tree.
Davis had moderate injuries and was transported to Surprise Valley Hospital. A passenger, Leah Davis, 51, Alturas, sustained minor injuries.

There were no injures in a separate accident March 3, 3:35 p.m. on State Route 299 west of Cedarville. The CHP reports that Christina Martell, age 22, Cedarville was driving a 1996 Chevy westbound on a snow and ice-covered highway. The car broke traction, Martell lost control and the vehicle ran off the road and struck a tree, Martell and three passengers were using safety restraints and were not hurt.

Minor injuries were reported in a two-vehicle accident March 1, 12:15 p.m. on SR299 west of Cedarville. The CHP reports that Bruce Blum, age 30, Lake City, was driving a 1998 Dodge pickup eastbound on SR99 west of Cedarville. A 1992 Lincoln Towncar, driven by John Leonard, age 67, Ft. Bidwell, was westbound on SR299. Blum made a U-turn from the eastbound shoulder directly in front of Leonard.

Leonard tried to stop turned right to avoid the collision. He missed the Blum car, but ran off the road and struck a Caltrans sign and a tree. Leonard and a passenger, Charolette Brown, age 66. Ft., Bidwell sustained minor injuries. All parties were properly seatbelted. The collision is under investigation.

There were no injuries in a solo-vehicle accident March 4, 8:30 a.m. on US395, one mile north of County Road 53.

According to the CHP, James. B. MacPhee, age 34, Portland, was southbound in a 2000 Nissan pickup at 45-50 m.p.h. when he lost control on the icy road. The pickup wet off the west shoulder and overturned. The pickup had moderate damage.

No injuries were reported in a single-vehicle accident March 3, 6:51 p.m. on US 395 south of Madeline.
The CHP reports that Steven Humphreys, age 25, Sparks, was northbound on a snow and ice-covered road at about 35 m.p.h. He said he felt he hit a rut and the rear of the truck started to slide across the road. He could not regain control, the vehicle slid of the side of the road and down a steep embankment. The 1997 Chevy rolled three-fourths over and came to rest on its passenger side

Obituaries:

Lois Brundige

Lois Brundige, 85, of McArthur and Alturas, CA, died March 5, 2006
at Applewood Inn care home.

Born on February 25, 1921 in Bremerton, Washington, she was a retired Licensed Vocational Nurse and an accomplished sportswoman.

She is survived by daughters Louise Winn of Kona, Hawaii, Nancy Lively of Reno, Nevada, and Lorraine Haas of Redding, as well as seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Harold Brundige, and son William.

Arrangements are by the Neptune Society. Memorial services will be held at a later date.

Frederick E. Kauffman

Frederick Eugene Kauffman died in Sacramento, CA on February 23, 2006, at the age of 93. Born in Alturas in 1912, son of Frank and Effie Kauffman, Fred grew up just down the hill from his grandparents', Clarence and Josephine Estes. Fred attended Modoc Union High School and played on the football team. As a young man, he was given the nickname "Sundown," given to him by "Hippie" Burmeister, while working haying on the Flournoy ranch in Likely.

After World War II, Fred attended University of California Berkeley and settled in Sacramento, where he worked for the Federal Housing Administration. His one week of vacation per year he spent in Alturas, at his parents' place, going fishing in the mornings and evenings in the surrounding creeks and lakes. In his life-long absence from Alturas, Fred and his brother Harold, in their retirement, made two annual "pilgrimages"-one at Memorial Day and one on Labor Day-to visit their favorite sites in Modoc County: East side Road, Centerville, Pit River, Jess Valley, the Warner Mountains, Cedarville.
During Labor Day the two Kauffman brothers would join their cousin Ron Smith of Alturas, to help him harvest the delicious Modoc wild plums and turn them into a year's worth of jams and preserves. Old timers being scarce, on their last visit to Modoc, in June 2001, Fred chanced to meet Rob Flournoy, his old friend and a lifelong resident of Likely, where they excitedly caught up and reminisced about old times. Nothing went deeper in Fred's being than his love of home-the meadows and cattle, the sagebrush and juniper, bluffs, canyons, streams, the wide-open spaces, the sweet smell of the air in the summer. His ashes will rejoin Earth in the canyon of the South Fork of the Pit River.

Fred is survived by his brother Harold Kauffman of San Francisco, son Douglas, daughter Terry Davison of Davis, CA; grandchildren Tracy and Mark and four great-grandchildren.

Peggy L. Thomson

Peggy L. Thomson of Madeline, CA passed away in Alturas on March 2, 2006. Funeral services will be held at the LDS Church in Alturas, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 11, 2006. Interment will follow at the Likely Cemetery. Refreshments will follow at the Madeline Fire Hall.

Born Peggy L. McDaniel on April 24, 1927 in Cove, Arkansas, her family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she attended high school and then Portland, OR, where she graduated from high school. She remained in Portland during her adult life.

A warm and loving person, expert seamstress and quilter, Mrs. Thomson was proud to serve as the President of the Relief Society while living in Portland. She was also a genealogy buff. She and her husband of 17 years, Orion L. Thomson, have made Madeline their home since their marriage November 27, 1988 in Sacramento, CA.

She is survived by her husband, Orion L. Thomson of Madeline; her mother, Violet E. McDaniel of Shelton, WA; three children: Yvonne Willers, Sparks, NV; Sharon Danner, Shady Cove, OR; Thomas Thomson, Fremont, CA; eight grandchildren, 10-great-grandchildren; three brothers, Lee V. McDaniel of Madeline, CA; Billie R. McDaniel of Portland, OR; Paul T. McDaniel of Auburn, CA; two sisters Zetta Wike of Sacramento; Mary Radziski of Shelton, WA; many nieces and nephews. Her eldest daughter Eupha Lynn of Alaska, preceded her in death.

Service for Lowell Nelson Jones

A memorial service for Lowell Nelson Jones will be held at the Student Union building on the Oregon Institute of Technology's campus in Klamath Falls, Oregon on Saturday, April 8 at 2 p.m. Mr. Jones was active in Modoc County for more than 50 years and had many friends in this area

Sports

Wood goes 4-2 at state, just misses medal

Modoc's Travis Wood injured his knee in his fifth match at the California State Wrestling Championship last weekend, and wasn't at full strength for his last match.

Wood wound up finishing 4-2 at the tournament just one win out of the medals. He had a tough seeding to begin with, and his coach and father Shaun Wood, was very proud considering the circumstances.

Travis lost his opening match to Jordan Abed, of Alhambra, 6-4 in overtime. He won his next four matches. Coach Wood wasn't overly pleased with the officiating of the match.

Wood then pinned George Lopez, of Calexico, at the :40 mark and beat George Munoz of West Covina 14-3. Travis beat Rio Linda's Robert Caruthers 8-2 and then pinned Greg Ferrer of Colton at the 3:39 mark.
In his final match of the tourney, a knee injury didn't allow him to use his legs effectively and he lost to Nolan Rege of Hillsburg 6-7.

Tulelake's John Luscombe wrestled extremely well and took a second at the state finals.

Modoc opens baseball at Etna tourney

Modoc's baseball team will open the season at the Etna tournament

March 10 against the Burney Raiders. On March 11, they'll meet Tulelake and West Valley.
Modoc travels to Bonanza on March 14 and has a double-bill against Mt. Shasta here March 17.

The weather has been less than ideal for practice and many players are just joining the team following the basketball and wrestling section playoffs.

The Braves are under new coach Tim MacDonnell this year. Seniors on the team include Travis Wood, Taylor Dunn, Tim Cruse, Jered Cox, Landin Hagge, Justin Mason and Danny Guitron.
Juniors out this year are: Bill Hammerness, Garrett Chapman, Arturo Guitron, Michael Gaskey, Brandon Anderson, Jesse Cuevas and Jesse Harer. Sophomores on the team are Trenton Schmidt and Jeremy Anselmi.

Liberty ends Braves' season, 64-44

The Liberty Christian Patriots, ranked number one in the North Section boys loop proved their mettle, although it took a big fourth period, to beat the fifth-seeded Modoc Braves 64-44 in Redding last Wednesday night.

The game was close through three with Modoc trailing, 15-14, in the first and 26-24 by half. Liberty increased its lead to 40-34 in the third. In the fourth, they outscored Modoc 24-10.

Modoc's Ross Burgess, Micah Eppler, Taylor Dunn and Grant Hall fouled out of the game in the fourth period. Liberty hit most of its fourth period points from the foul line an only made three fourth period field goals.
Ross Burgess and Micah Eppler led Modoc with 11 each.

The Braves, under coach Bunk Richardson, won the Shasta Cascade League wan won their first two section playoff games, going farther than any team in recent history.

In the North Section title Game, Redding Christian beat Liberty Christian 58-49.

Redding Christian meets International (of San Francisco in the north state tourney and Liberty Christian moves on to face Branson of Ross, Ca.

March 16th, 2006

News

Races set for June 6 election

The races are set for the June 6 Primary election, with contested races for several offices. The deadline to file for many offices closed March 10, but remained open until yesterday in offices where the incumbent did not file.

In a new development, attorney Gary Woolverton, listing an Adin address, has taken out papers to join the race for Modoc District Attorney. Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta and local attorney John Lawson, counsel for the Alturas City Council, have filed for the DA position.

The race for Sheriff will be between current Undersheriff Mark Gentry and retiring California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter. A possible third candidate chose not to file.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, has filed papers to run for Modoc County Assessor. Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser, has emerged as a challenger.

Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator will run against County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw. Shaw was appointed to fill out the term or retired Carol Harbaugh.

There is interest in the race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council. Incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass have filed. Challengers are Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

The Board of Supervisors last week voted to consolidate the Clerk/Auditor departments, effectively eliminating a race for County Clerk.

Auditor Judi Stevens has said she will seek re-election and senior deputy clerk Diana McCulley had planned to seek the Clerk's position. Stevens remains unopposed.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor

Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch will seek another term in office.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake has taken out papers to run against Bradshaw. Macsay is unopposed.

In the City of Alturas, City Treasurer Kathie Alves is also unopposed.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Alturas woman hurt in mishap

Stephanie Northrup, age 24, Alturas, sustained moderate injuries in a single-vehicle accident March 19, 9:55 a.m. on State Route 299.

According to the California Highway Patrol, Northrup was driving a 1994 Jeep westbound on SR299 at between 50 and 55 m.p.h. when she hit a patch of ice and slush. The vehicle started to spin suddenly and she was unable to regain control. The Jeep went off the north edge of the road and overturned in a ditch.

Northrup was transported to Modoc Medical Center in Alturas. A passenger in the vehicle, Joshua Woznack, age 23, Canby, had minor injuries.

There were minor injuries in an accident March 14, 6:10 a.m. on U.S. 395 south of SR 299. Sage Oakley, age 39, Alturas, was northbound in a 1995 Ford pickup at 35-40 m.p.h. when he lost control on the ice and snow covered road. The vehicle left the road and overturned. The driver had minor injuries and a passenger was not hurt.

No injuries were reported in a single-vehicle accident March 14, 11:50 a.m. on US 395 south of Madeline. R. Crew, age 42, Keno, Or., was southbound in a 2004 Dodge Dakota at about 35 m.p.h. when he lost control on the snow and ice. The vehicle slid off the road and rolled onto its top. Both driver and a passenger were seatbelted and not hurt.

Home show set for March 25

The Third Annual Modoc Home Show March 25 is full of exhibitors and the stages are being set for another exciting year.

Organizers Rendy Cockrell and Brooke Fredrickson are putting the final touches on the show are finalizing the map and locations of the variety of exhibitors.

Cockrell reminds exhibitors and helpers that they must stop in at the Home Show booth the morning of March 25 and pick up a participant badge. They will also receive a ballot to vote on the best booth of the show.
The show is filled, and anyone getting in now will be because of a cancellation. There will be as many entrants as last year and there are more than a dozen new businesses in the show.

The show highlights a wide variety of goods and services available in Modoc, all the way from home construction, design and decoration, to landscaping and other necessities. The show attracts thousands of people for the one-day event. It opens at 9 .am. March 25 and closes at 3 p.m.

This year the second annual Kitchen Wars cooking competition will be held in a large tent between the Griswold Gym and Shirley Oxley Hall. Putting the Kitchen Wars under a big top allowed the organizers more space for the remaining exhibitors.

Both the Gym and Social Hall will be full of exhibitors and there are plenty of things to check out and plenty of door prizes. Admission to the show is free.

The Home Show is open only to Modoc businesses and this year no "Internet only" businesses will be allowed.

For more information, contact Fredrickson at 233-8472 or Cockrell at 233-3471.

Consultant tells county Clinic is vital

In a detailed report to the Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, Dr. Stephen L. Barr, a consultant hired by the county, said the Modoc Medical Center Clinic needs to be treated as the cornerstone of health care.

Dr. Barr, of Susanville, was highly specific in his report, and offered a wide array of findings and solutions. Time restraints will not allow the Record to report everything this week, but a more detailed account of his findings will be published in the next edition.

"The clinic is the cornerstone of health care in the community and sustains the acute and extended care hospitals, and emergency services, another fact not adequately appreciated," Dr. Barr reported. "The real threat to losing all or most of these critical services and resulting impact on the community does not seem fully appreciated. The lack of systems, basic management tools and coherent stable routine creates a paralyzing overload on clinic management and staff which must be corrected."

Dr. Barr pointed to "many signs" that the clinic has suffered "chronic mismanagement" and when misbehavior issues involving one of the doctors surfaced, it added to the problems.

"The present conditions in the clinic make it difficult to recruit and retain stable, qualified support staff and practioners (doctors)," he states. "Nonetheless, by hard work and commitment the clinic staff has continued to serve the community with critically needed primary care. This important fact has not been fully appreciated by many individuals due to recent scandals and chronic operational criticism, some of which may be deserved."
Barr is concerned that treating the clinic as a "mere hospital department" serves to diminish the clinic's overall importance to the entire health care structure.

"Correction and optimum function will take long-term commitment to staff and system development," said Dr. Barr. "A stable, competent management/governance structure with expert assistance is needed for this to occur. Narrow self-interest and the proverbial small town politics must be permanently set aside for the sake of the community's health and welfare. Given with opportunity and proper leadership, the clinic should be able to generate enough revenue and special funding to serve most community health needs well, contributing to longevity and quality of life."

Barr said there have been some positive changes recently and he feels "confident that the inherent and created challenges can be successfully overcome with persistence and community commitment."

"The rural health clinic structure is very well suited to the community needs and should thrive with proper management," he said.

It's been a wet start to March

With March only half over, the precipitation levels are nearing the average of 1.55 inches for the month. And the temperatures have been in the very cold range, although not setting any records.

As of March 15, 1.21 inches of moisture was measured in Alturas, with the full month average being 1.55 inches. The temperatures have dropped into single digits, but the record low for March was set in 1971 when

it dropped to seven below zero. The low so far this month was three degrees.

The forecast for the rest of the week doesn't look good for any spring sports, with snow showers forecast through Saturday.

Dean Francis Gloster

Dean Francis Gloster passed away March 10, 2006 in Carson City, Nevada.

Dean was born in Alturas, CA on January 22, 1928, to Joseph J. Gloster and Kathryn Cloud Gloster. Dean was the youngest of five boys. He joined the Navy at age 16 and served aboard the USS Boxer during WWII, participating in the liberation of the Phillipines. He was released from service with an honorable discharge just before Christmas in 1947. Dean attended the University of Nevada and graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor's degree in Economics. He then worked in various jobs in the gaming industry.

He joined the staff of Harrah's Club (as it was then known) in March 1954. He worked in different capacities from Keno Manager to Vice President in charge of services. He firmly settled in the job he loved--Casino Manager. He worked in that job until 1984, when he went to the Holiday Hotel on the river as Vice President and General Manager. Dean retired in 1992, and spent time on golf, travel and with family.

His favorite hobbies included piloting small airplanes, snow skiing, boating and especially playing golf. Dean managed to get three holes-in-one during his lifetime.

Dean is survived by his wife: Sylvia Russell Gloster of Carson City, NV; four sons: Vance (Kathy) of Arcadia, CA; Dean (Nancy) of Berkeley, CA; Mark (Donna) of Bandon, OR; and Skip (Charlie) of Sparks, NV. He is also survived by two daughters: Cheri Cordova (Paul) of Reno, NV and Stormy Draney (Frank) of Lawrence, KS, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 20 at Fitzhenry's Funeral Home, 833 N. Edmonds (the street name is changing to Fairview), Carson City, NV.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations sent to: St. Mary's Hospice, 520 W 6th St., Reno, NV 89503; Meals on Wheels, Carson Senior Center (attn: Finance),911 Beverly Blvd., Carson City, 89706 503; Meals on Wheels, Carson Senior Center (attn: Finance),911 Beverly Blvd., Carson City, 89706

Stanley W. Harris

Stanley W. Harris died on December 19, 2005, at the age of 78 years. He was a long-time resident of Belmont, CA, and was born and raised in Sacramento. Mr. Harris served in World War II after enlisting in the Navy. He returned to Sacramento after the war and attended American River College and Sacramento State College, where he received his degree in Chemistry. He went to work as a chemist at Central Valley Scientific and later became a salesman for the company. CVS was acquired by Van Waters and Rogers, and Mr. Harris continued with them for another 30 years, until he retired in 1989, as Scientific Glassware Manager.
Once retired, Mr. Harris was able to devote more of his time to his favorite avocation, horticulture. He joined SIRS (Sons in Retirement) and became an enthusiastic and valued member. During this time, he developed an interest in computers and turned this new skill into a tool for discovering his family history through genealogical research.

Mr. Harris was introduced to Modoc County in the mid-1950s by his wife, Gwen Harris, a descendant of some of the early settlers to Surprise Valley. He enjoyed his time in Cedarville and Alturas, visiting in-laws and listening to stories about the early days in the county. Once involved in genealogy, he began compiling information on his wife's family history and spent many hours at the Modoc County Courthouse, Modoc County Museum, and local businesses gathering information on these families, primarily the Garretts, Fitzgeralds and Bushes.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Gwen Harris, of Belmont; his daughter, Melissa, son-in-law, Doug Kennedy, and granddaughter, Sydna Kennedy, of Lake City, CA; and nieces, nephews, and cousins of California ,and Canada. A memorial was held on January 17th at Crippen and Flynn Mortuary in
Belmont. Mr. Harris' ashes will be interred at Cedarville Cemetery in early June. Donations in his memory may be made to: The International Myeloma Foundation, 12650 Riverside Dr., Suite 206, North Hollywood, CA, 91607-3421, or The Modoc County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1689, Alturas, CA, 96101.

Death Notices

Donna Marie DiSario, 57, passed away at her Alturas home on March 14, 2006. Services are pending. Mrs. DiSario's obituary will be published in a future issue. She is survived by her husband Edward of Alturas and numerous family members. Please call Kerr Mortuary's recorded service message at 530-233-5797.

Gladys Troy, 93, of Cedarville passed away March 14, 2006 at Surprise Valley Hospital, where she had been a resident. Interment will be at the Adin Cemetery on Friday.

Sports

Spring sports stalled by snow

It's not unusual to have a few baseball or softball games rained or snowed out in a Modoc spring, but his year is a bit extreme. The weather doesn't look all that inviting for the remainder of the weekend either.

Modoc's baseball and softball tourney at Etna was canceled last weekend, as was a Tuesday game against Bonanza. The Braves had a varsity baseball game scheduled against Mt. Shasta Friday, but getting that game in is highly doubtful. On March 21, the varsity baseball and softball teams are scheduled in Lakeview and the junior varsity teams are scheduled for Modoc. The teams are set for Weed March 24.

The Braves baseball team is coached by Tim MacDonnell and the softball team by Keith Jacques.

The Record assumes Modoc will have a track team this year, but has not heard from any coach.

Modoc gets in first golf match

Modoc High School's golf team opened with a tourney at Riverview Golf Course in Redding against Enterprise and Chico. Chico won the match with a score of 385, Modoc was second at 452 and Enterprise third at 457.
Individual scorers for Modoc were as follows: Brian Weed 85, Keith Montague 87, Micah Eppler 88, Dustin Philpott 92, Taylor Dunn 100 and Dustin Oates 112.

The Braves open league play March 16 at Eagle Point Golf Course against Fall River, Trinity and Mt. Shasta High. The Braves are also scheduled to host a league match at Arrowhead March 23.

There are 19 people out for the gold team this season. Returning seniors are Dunn, Eppler, Weed and Matt Williams; returning juniors are Montague, Oates and Dustin Philpott; sophomores are Cassidy Aarstad, Jeff Barclay, Josue Madrigal and Daniel Morgan; freshmen are Dee Hunsaker, Sara Jo Montague and Jeff Solomon; newcomers are Dillon Flournoy, Cam Hall. John Hughes, Claire Crenshaw and Jack Veverka.

Braves named to All-league

A pair of Modoc boy's varsity players, Taylor Dunn and Micah Eppler, was named to the Shasta Cascade All-League team. Another Brave, Ross Burgess, missed the first five league games or would have also been eligible. Modoc won the Shasta Cascade League title.

The Most Valuable player for the boys was Jamien Jones of Trinity. Modoc coach Bunk Richardson was named Coach of the Year.

Modoc's Catherine Lowry was the only Modoc girl named to the All-League team. The MVP for the girls was Fall River's Shawna Truan.

Modoc Middle School and Youth Tournament placing

The following are winners of last week from the Modoc Youth Wrestling tourney.

Six and under: First Place

Josh Vieria. Jess Picatte, Jordan Royce, Wyatt Larranaga, Daniel Staton, Dillon Valenna, Case Picotte, Kaden Knight, Jeffery Gouveia, Zack Bickford, Jon Irish, Brandon Hays.
Eight and under:

Kyle Royce, Brandon Hays, Jarrett Royce, Christian Torres, Paden Smith, Alex Valencia, Troy Culp, Marcus Williams, Thane Forrester, Alan Weber, Quentin Bocanegra.Ten and under:

Cameron Johnston, Felicia Torres, Travis Northrup, Jessie Holloway, Matt Weber, Justin Valena, Lucas Bocanegra

Twelve and under:

Riley Larranaga, Ben Bevil, Andrew Culp, Alex Moreo, James Lincoln, Travis Johnston, Trent McQuarrie, Jeff Williams, Wyatt Valena, Brandon Thompson, Ethan Haas.
Fourteen and under:

Alex Moreo, Cody Book, Gabe Fletcher, Kyle Voth, Zach Holloway, Denae Steiger, Tyler Hammerness, Matt Mayes, Tyler Wood, Miguel Torres, Oakley Anson, Jesse Urzua.

March 23rd, 2006

News

Report details strengths, weaknesses of Modoc hospital

A report presented to the Modoc County Board of Supervisors last week gave a detailed account of the strengths and weaknesses of Modoc Medical Center.

Dr. Stephen O'Barr, of Susanville, was contracted by the county to produce the "Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats," SWOT analysis.

He felt the Modoc Medical Center Clinic needs to be treated as the cornerstone of health care. He also later stated that the line staff at the clinic has done a remarkable job under some sometimes adverse conditions.
"The clinic is the cornerstone of health care in the community and sustains the acute and extended care hospitals, and emergency services, another fact not adequately appreciated," Dr. O'Barr reported. "The real threat to losing all or most of these critical services and resulting impact on the community does not seem fully appreciated. The lack of systems, basic management tools and coherent stable routine creates a paralyzing overload on clinic management and staff which must be corrected."

According to Dr, O'Barr, the strengths of the clinic include the fact that it is the only major primary care facility serving the remote region, plus it lacks competition. The hours have also been extended to 7 p.m., five days per week.

"The new Chief Executive Officer has demonstrated the commitment, values and ability to bring about needed changes," O'Barr states. "Positive changes are already evident. The present governing body (Board of Supervisors) has demonstrated the needed political will and commitment to act effectively and enable continued access care via the clinic. Recent actions have demonstrated the ability to recognize the deficiencies and the need to reach out for solutions."

In addition, he says the current clinic staff appears to be hard working and committed to providing good care. He also states that Dr. Ed Richert has high standards for care. He also offers praise for Patty Manzer, the new Clinic manager, who is a Registered Nurse with clinical background.

When it comes to the weaknesses, Dr. O'Barr said the facility itself is: unattractive, dirty, cluttered, disorganized, drab, tacky. But, he points out there have been some recent improvements.

As far as staffing goes, Dr. O'Barr cites "high turnover, discontinuity, loss and skills and knowledge base, inadequate training, lack of teamwork and consistency of process" as problem areas.

"The above factors cause inefficient use and function and excessive friction and frustration and multiplication of workload," he said.

O'Barr also said repeated past instances of profanity, obscenity and serious accusations of malfeasance against other staff in presence of patients create a bad working environment. He also points out there were and are instances of abusive and derogatory statements from clients, both to the staff and public condemnation of the level of care.

"Public media and personal encounters in the community result in feelings of blame and stigma due to association with the clinic and past scandals and alleged failures," he states. He also said there is a lack of an effective computer system.

O'Barr also suggests that clinic employees had perception of being "second class" employees or the "unwanted step child" within county government.

"Perceptions stated by staff appear valid in fact, or at minimum, in appearance," O'Barr said. "Negative work environment is present due to systems failures and personal and public interaction, based on past lack of adequate management performance and unprofessional conduct by some providers and other staff. The medical director is vastly overburdened between responsibilities at all three facilities and physically unable to adequately address these issues personally."

Dr. O'Barr pointed to "many signs" that the clinic has suffered "chronic mismanagement" and when misbehavior issues involving one of the doctors surfaced, it added to the problems.

As far as the operation of the clinic, O'Barr states the productivity of staff is low and workload is high. He says patient care flow is fragmented even though patient clinic time is not excessive.

He also states that paper charts are poorly organized with some patient documents misfiled. He said the computerized record-keeping software is not used consistently or by all the staff.

"There is a widespread lack of community respect and appreciation, based both on fact and inaccurate accusation," he said. "Operational issues have likely caused some valid criticism, and some invalid or self-serving accusations may rise to actionable levels of slander and libel. While there are initial attempts to improve public image, there is presently no highly developed communication strategy is place."

O'Barr also stresses there are serious shortcomings in the billing and possible loss of charges because of failure to document services. He's also concerned with the possible of large Medicare/MediCal payback demands because of a lack of compliance.

In the opportunities area, he suggests expanding services and certification of expert chronic disease management, such as diabetes, respiratory disease and hypertension. He suggests community outreach through public education and informational events. He also said that the clinic and hospital management need to look into and apply for Rural Health grants. He suggests bringing back the dental program that had been removed.

"The clinic is a critical component of county health care, but presently does not appear to be fully appreciated due to a history if internal deficiencies and public scandals," Dr. O'Barr said. "The clinic provides a reasonable level of care compared to similar facilities. The fact the clinic is the foundational institution is not adequately recognized or appreciated. Without it, there will be no physician base for critical outpatient primary care and the acute care and skilled nursing facility cannot exist."

Overall, he said years of mismanagement of the clinic and related facilities has led the county to a point where a near emergency exists to maintain the health care facilities. He said the county's recent action to change management was ‘not only justified, but unavoidable."

"The present conditions in the clinic make it difficult to recruit and retain stable, qualified support staff and practioners (doctors)," he states. "Nonetheless, by hard work and commitment the clinic staff has continued to serve the community with critically needed primary care. This important fact has not been fully appreciated by many individuals due to recent scandals and chronic operational criticism."

Barr is concerned that treating the clinic as a "mere hospital department" serves to diminish the clinic's overall importance to the entire health care structure. He said management must delineate between clinic operations and the two hospitals, acute and long term, and not blend the operations or financial conditions.

"The fact that decent and crucial primary care is being provided doesn't appear to be universally appreciated even though many clients know that," he said. "The past is just that, the only relevant topic should be present and future performance. The community needs to understand the real, potentially rapid, and grave impact of losing the clinic or any of the three health care facilities...The public also deserves to know any major deficiencies and all corrective actions planned and fulfilled."

"Correction and optimum function will take long-term commitment to staff and system development," said Dr. O'Barr. "A stable, competent management/governance structure with expert assistance is needed for this to occur. Narrow self-interest and the proverbial small town politics must be permanently set aside for the sake of the community's health and welfare. Given with opportunity and proper leadership, the clinic should be able to generate enough revenue and special funding to serve most community health needs well, contributing to longevity and quality of life."

Barr said there have been some positive changes recently and he feels "confident that the inherent and created challenges can be successfully overcome with persistence and community commitment."

Campaigns heating up for June election
The June 6 election in Modoc County is set and the campaigns are starting to perk up.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and attorney Gary Woolverton, listing an Adin address, are running for District Attorney.

The race for Sheriff is between current Undersheriff Mark Gentry and retiring California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter. Poindexter will officially retire from the CHP today.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator and County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw are in a race for that office.

The race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council includes incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass and challengers Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

The Board of Supervisors consolidated the Clerk/Auditor departments, effectively eliminating a race for County Clerk.

Auditor Judi Stevens and Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch are unopposed as is City Treasurer Kathie Alves.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against Bradshaw. Macsay is unopposed.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Modoc Home Show full of ideas, excitement

Everything is in order and the third Annual Modoc Home Show is set for the 9 a.m. opening at Modoc High School Saturday.

Interest from the business community was high and there are new entries in this year's show, along with most of the businesses and organizations who participated the first two times.

Both the Gym and Social Hall will be full of exhibitors and there are plenty of things to check out and plenty of door prizes. Admission to the show is free.

Organizers Rendy Cockrell and Brooke Fredrickson are both excited about Saturday's event. They expect thousands of people to make it through the exhibits, as usual, and are pleased with the variety of the participants and their booths.

Cockrell reminds exhibitors and helpers that they must stop in at the Home Show booth the morning of March 25 and pick up a participant badge. They will also receive a ballot to vote on the best booth of the show.
The show highlights a wide variety of goods and services available in Modoc, all the way from home construction, design and decoration, to landscaping and other necessities. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the day. The show attracts thousands of people for the one-day event. It opens at 9 .am. and closes at 3 p.m.

This year the second annual Kitchen Wars cooking competition will be held in a large tent between the Griswold Gym and Shirley Oxley Hall. Putting the Kitchen Wars under a big top allowed the organizers more space for the remaining exhibitors.

The following businesses and organizations will be showing their wares and services at the Home Show:
Alturas Chamber of Commerce, Alturas Mini Storage, At Home America, Bank of America, Bethel's Propane, BMW Rentals, Caltrans, Chapman Roofing, Cooper Insurance Services, Cottage Yarns, Creative Printing, Cygnus Mortgage & Investments, Inc., Dean Neer Modoc Realty, Eagle Peak Rock and Paving, Ed Staub & Sons, Fisher-Dubois Accounting and Tax Service/Dubois Photo, Four Seasons Supply Center, Frank's Carpet and Furniture Company, Inc., Girl Scout Troop 491, Guy Williams Construction, Heard Plumbing, Inc. & Modoc Drilling, High Desert Online, High Plateau, Humane Society, Home Interiors, Janie Erkiaga Real Estate, L&B Ranch Supply, Larranaga Construction, Inc., Likely General Store, Main Street Antiques & Collectibles, Maxwell's Nursery, Modoc County Library, Modoc County Public Health Lead Program, Modoc County Title Company , Modoc Independent News, Modoc Insurance Services, Modoc Sanitation, Modoc Steel & Supply LLC, Personally Yours, Phillips Appliance, Plumas Bank, Project Graduation 2006, Romesha Water Systems, Rose's Country Quilts & Crafts, Seab's True Value & Electronics, Soul Creations, Sturdy Built Structures, The Gift Gallery, The Oak Mill, United Country Stevenson Realty, US Bank, Walt Smith Landscaping, Wild Mustard/North State Homes

Secretary of State pays a visit

California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson paid a visit to Modoc County Monday afternoon, stopping in to check with Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison and members of the Board of Supervisors.

McPherson was on a northstate trip to familiarize himself with the various counties and to check on the election status of each clerk's office. He had traveled from Lassen to Modoc and was headed to Yreka Monday evening before turning back south.

According to Madison, McPherson's visit was the first for a Secretary of State in the past 40 years.
One of his main goals was to check on the readiness of the county's election process. Madison assured him, as she has in the past, that Modoc is set up and ready for the June 6 primaries.

McPherson said he certified the Diebold Election System this year after a review of their security and feels confident in their accuracy.

"We have more stringent security controls than any other state in the nation," he said. "We have to insure the integrity of the vote. That's what is most important. I feel comfortable with the systems."

On Tuesday, several groups filed suit against McPherson's certification of Diebold's TSX touch-screen system. Modoc does not use the touch screen system, but at least seven counties are slated to use it this year.
The suit seeks to block the purchase of the TSX systems and a reversal of the Secretary of State's certification. In 2004, Diebold, paid $2.6 million to settle a lawsuit alleging it had provided false information about security and certification to obtain payments for its electronic voting equipment in California.

McPherson said California's voting registration system is undergoing changes and should work to avoid fraud or problems. For instance, the state is instituting a new voter registration data bank that will help county registrars. Voters will be getting a four-digit unique identification number, probably the last four digits of a driver's license or their social security number.

McPherson explained that once the data bank is fully operational, if a voter moves from one county to another, he'll be identified by the voter I.D. number and his voter registration will be canceled in the county he left.
Interestingly, said McPherson, voter registration is up, and the biggest movement is in the Decline to State registration, up to about 18 percent. Madison said she was seeing the same trend in Modoc voters.

Cotta files protest against DA contender

Richard Cotta, a Modoc County Public Defender running for the District Attorney's Office in Modoc has filed a formal protest with Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison, challenging Susanville Attorney's Gary Woolverton's entry into the DA race.

According to Cotta, Woolverton may not be qualified to run for the office because his domicile is not at the Adin address that he claimed when he filed his nomination papers. Woolverton does own that property.
The protest was filed Wednesday afternoon with Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison.
Cotta, local attorney John Lawson and Woolverton are in the DA's race.

Donna Marie DiSario

A memorial service for Donna Marie DiSario will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 25 at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas. The Rev. Patrick Henry of Sacred Heart Catholic Church will conduct the service.

Mrs. DiSario passed away from natural causes at the age of 57, on March 14, 2006 in Alturas, CA. She had made Alturas her home for the past 24 years and enjoyed sewing, making crafts and dolls and was known as "Donna Mae" to her friends and family.

She was born in Whittier, CA. on February 5, 1949 and completed high school at La Mirada, CA. She also took classes through Lassen College Extension in Alturas. She married Edward DiSario in La Mirada on April 20, 1968 and the two have shared 37 years of marriage.

She is survived by her husband Edward of Alturas, CA; son Eddie DiSario of Alturas; father and mother Paul and Marie Violette of Banning, CA; brother David Violette and sister-in-law Roxanne, Arkansas; sister Mary Violette of Merrill, OR; sister Shari Burpee and brother-in-law Steve of Denver, CO; brother Richard Violette, Banning; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Fred and Sue DiSario of California Pines; step-mother-in-law Sandra DiSario, Anaheim; step-sister-in-law Laurie Morgan, Yorba Linda, CA; step-brother-in-law George Morgan, Yorba Linda; 10 nieces and nephews; 12 great- nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be directed to the American Heart Association.

Howard ‘Les' Welt

Former Alturas resident Howard "Les" Welt passed away January 23, 2006 in Kent, Washington. "Les" was born in Massachusetts on February 26, 1939 to Howard and Gertrude Welt. They moved to Antelope Valley, California, where he later met and married Diane Dickinson. They had five children: Clyde Welt, now of Cottonwood, Arizona; Richard Welt of New Mexico, Edward Welt of San Luis Obispo, CA, Bill Welt of Alturas, Ca and daughter Cindy Welt of Independence, Oregon.

In 1975, the family moved to Alturas, CA where "Les" opened a television repair store called Cinema T.V. and Radio Repair, next to the Niles Theater, until 1984, when he and Diane parted ways and he moved to Kent, Washington. He remarried and was semi-retired and working as an apartment complex manager. Les is survived by his second wife, Kathy Welt of Kent, WA., his five children listed, named above; nine grandchildren, three of which live in Alturas: Alisha Lamez, Candace Welt and Krysten Welt; two great-grandchildren, Hayley "L.C." Lamez and Cierra Lamez of Alturas. A memorial service was held on January 27, 2006 in Kent, WA. In lieu of flowers, donations will be appreciated to the American Cancer Society.

Frank Carpenter

Frank Carpenter, 83, passed away of natural causes on March 18, 2006 in Chico, CA. Frank was a long-time resident of the Big Valley area. Then he lived in Woodland for many years and had been in Chico since 2002.
Frank was a World War II veteran with service in the Asiatic Pacific Campaign. He later worked as a carnival ride operator, in construction, and last as a fire equipment operator for the California Division of Forestry and Fire Prevention. He formerly owned Frank's Lookout Motors and the Bieber Mobile Home Park. He was a member of the Oddfellows and Masonic Lodge in Woodland.

Frank was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Joan. He is survived by his daughter, Ardell Joiner of Durham; son, Dave Carpenter of Oroville and sons, Cliff and Jim Carpenter of Bieber. He had numerous grand and great-grand children.

No memorial services will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Shriner's Hospital. The family is thankful for all the thoughts and prayers during their loss.Bernard J. Palermo
Bernard J. Palermo of Ontario, CA. passed away March 8, 2006 in Ontario, at the age of 85. Mr. Palermo loved visiting Alturas and the family's California Pines property. He loved Cal Pines and had been coming to Alturas every year since 1969, except the past two years while he was ill.

He was born October 17, 1920 in Chicago, Illinois. He is survived by his wife Sara and son Jerry of Ontario.
Services were held at 11 a.m. March 15 at Draper Memorial Chapel in Ontario, CA. Interment at the Holy Cross Cemetery, Pomona, CA. Services entrusted to Draper Mortuary of Ontario.

Kacie Renea Price

Graveside Services for new born Kacie Renea Price of Alturas, will be held at the Lake City Cemetery at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 25. Pastor Destry Campbell will officiate. Kacie passed away from unknown causes at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, CA on March 21, 2006. She was 10 days old. The daughter of Kendra and Jeremy Price of Alturas, was born at Mercy Redding hospital, Redding, CA on March 11, 2006 at 3:31 a.m. She weighed 6 lbs., 9.6 ozs. and measured 19.8 inches long. The origin of her name is Irish Gaelic meaning "Watchful."

She is survived by her mother and father, and grandparents James and Barbara Hill of Cedarville and Karen and Bill Price of Lake City, CA.

Memorial donations may be directed to her family at P.O. Box 456, Alturas, CA 96101.

Sports

Modoc tops SCL golf teams

Modoc's Braves topped the competition at the Eagle Point Golf Course March 16, playing well considering the lack of actual practice time without snow.

Modoc competed in league against Fall River, Trinity and Mt. Shasta.

Modoc shot a 221 on the front and a 217 on the back nine. Mt. Shasta shot 229 on the front and 228 on the back. Trinity shot 322 on the front and 319 on the back. Fall River forfeited.

Brian Weed led all scorers with a solid 77, followed by Micah Eppler's 81, Jeff Solomon's 90, Keith Montague's 923, Josue Madrigal's 98 and Taylor Dunn's 103.

On March 21, the team hosted a 13-team tourney at Eagle Point under cool conditions. The format was to play four golfers and count the best two scores per hole. Eppler led all Modoc golfers with an 82.

Modoc Coach Harold Montague is hoping to get the team out this week and get some practice on the ground without the snow. He expects Modoc and Weed to be the top teams in the league.

The Braves host Burney and Bishop Quinn today at Arrowhead beginning at 12 noon.

Hight watch
Alturas' Robert Hight lost to teammate and boss John Force in the final elimination round of the Gainesville National Hot Rod Association Funny Car race Sunday.

Force ran a 4.752 second quarter and Hight a 4.770. Force then lost to Ron Capps in the final of the event. Hight had come into the final round in fourth position.

Capps leads the PowerAde point standings with 280, Force is second with 249 and Hight is third at 221.

Pair named to All-Star squad
A pair of Modoc Braves, Micah Eppler and Taylor Dunn will represent the Modoc Braves in the Lions North/South All-Star Basketball game March 26 at Shasta College in Redding with game time at 6 p.m.
In addition, Eppler played in the “All the Best” All-Star game sponsored by Adidas in Chico March 19.

Weather still messing with spring sports

The weather just does not want to cooperate with spring sports in this part of the state.
So far, Modoc High School has not been able to get a baseball or softball game in as cold, snow and rain remain the norm. Cold and wet weather is projected to the weekend. None of the MHS fields are playable and it's going to take a week of warmer weather to get them dried out enough for practice, much less a game.

So far, six games have been canceled and a Mt. Shasta game has been rescheduled for April 11. There is a chance that a Weed game set for Friday could be played. That will all depend on what happens during the current spate of storms.

Teuscher named to All-Star team

Surprise Valley's Sara Teuscher has been selected to play in the Lions All-star game Sunday. 4 p.m. at Shasta College.

Tuescher was also named to the Max Preps North State Division V second team. She led the Evergreen League and North Section in blocked shots and was ranked 10th in the state.

March 30th, 2006

News

DA protest forwarded to County Counsel

Last week, Richard Cotta, a Modoc County Public Defender running for the District Attorney's Office in Modoc, filed a formal protest with Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison, challenging Susanville Attorney Gary Woolverton's entry into the DA race.

According to Cotta, Woolverton may not be qualified to run for the office because his domicile is not at the Adin address that he claimed when he filed his nomination papers. Woolverton does own that property.
This week Madison said she has forwarded the complaint to County Counsel John Kenny for an opinion.
Woolverton this week said he used the Adin address it to establish his residence when he registered to vote March 14 in Modoc County. Woolverton contends that he is eligible to run for the DA office and meets the test of the law even though he may never have lived at the Adin home. He also said that he has rented and will be living in a home outside of Alturas.

Cotta's challenge is that Woolverton did not meet the "domicile" requirement to become a registered voter in Modoc; since his domicile was in Susanville at the time he registered to vote in Modoc. Cotta cites Election Code 2032 that states: "if a person has more than one residence but has not physically resided at any one of the residences within the immediate preceding year, the residence not resided in is merely a residence and not a domicile."

Cotta contends that since Woolverton was not legally entitled to register to vote in Modoc, he would not be eligible to run for county office.

"We are confident that we have sufficient evidence to show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Woolverton has committed perjury in his application for voter registration and in his application for candidacy for District Attorney," Cotta charges. "It is entirely possible that Mr. Woolverton and his supporters have attempted to perpetuate a fraud upon your (the Clerk's) office as well as upon the voters of Modoc County by filing false information pertaining to his voter registration and candidacy."

If, in fact, Woolverton's voter registration and candidacy survives the legal framework, Cotta said he "shall look forward to the challenge of his candidacy . . .In light of the facts, however, this seems unlikely."
In his complaint, Cotta has several statements from Adin residents saying that Woolverton never lived at the Adin home.

Woolverton this week said he has homes in Redding, Susanville and now Alturas and is required by his Worker's Comp law practice to attend hearings in Redding and Susanville. His law practice is currently being sold to another attorney.

"There is no question that at 9:00 a.m. on March 14, I was still a voting resident of Lassen County," he said. "There is also no question that by 11:00 a.m. of March 14, 2006, I had filed the necessary papers to change my voting residence from Lassen to Modoc County and designated a mailing address and physical address in Modoc County. This was a deliberate change of domicile and primary residence."

Woolverton said he spoke to Alturas Realtors March 13 to secure a rental home in Alturas, but was unable to find suitable housing so he chose the Adin address to establish residency.

"Not realizing that the Adin house (which I have owned for many years) was run down, I selected it as my residence for Modoc County," Woolverton said. "On March 15, I had one of the staff members (Susanville office) obtain a helper and go to Adin to set up the house. I was not able to do it personally because of conflicting legal business. When she returned, she indicated that they had done the best they could but in her opinion, it would not be a suitable place for a long-term residence. I decided to go ahead and take one of the two available rentals in Alturas."

He said the lease of the Alturas rental was completed March 24 and the move to that rental was completed March 25.

"It has always been my understanding that a change of residence/domicile from one county to another was accomplished if there was an intent to make a change," Woolverton states. "It is largely a matter of intention and there is no waiting period when one is moving from one California county to another and motive or reason is generally irrelevant. In this case, I declared my residence and did my best to establish a residence in Adin, which has been changed to Alturas due to the poor condition of the Adin home. I did not try to hide the fact that I was a voting resident of Lassen County up until 11 a.m. on March 14, 2006. I am not trying to hide the fact that my motive for changing my primary residence and voting residence to Modoc County was to run for District Attorney."Cotta, local attorney John Lawson and Woolverton are in the DA's race. Lawson has made no comment on the issue.

Alturas Rancheria plan for Yreka Casino hits Governor snag

The Shasta Mountain Casino in Yreka, proposed by the Alturas Rancheria was dealt a losing hand by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's office this month.

The Governor's Legal Affairs Secretary Andrea L. Hoch sent a letter to the Rancheria legal counsel alleging they had made false statements concerning the proposed casino and effectively demanding the tribe relinquish any unused gaming licenses.

Alturas Tribal Chairman Phil Del Rosa on Wednesday said the construction of the Yreka facility is on hold, voluntarily by Alturas Rancheria, until the legal issues are resolved.

Del Rosa said nothing going on with the Yreka facility will affect the Alturas Casino.

"The allegations in the Governor's letter are completely false," said Del Rosa. "We have filed a response to that letter that addresses each of the points."

Del Rosa said he would discuss the situation with legal counsel and possibly forward that letter of response to the Record at the earliest convenience. He stressed the Yreka project was not stopped, simply delayed.

The Alturas Rancheria owns and operates the Desert Rose Casino on Rancheria property just east of Alturas. The Shasta Mountain Casino was first scheduled as a Class III operation, but in January, the tribe allegedly told the state it was going to be operated as a Class II casino "at this time." The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act limits the state's ability to regulate a Class II facility. That facility would consist of games like bingo, non-banked card games and games played exclusively against other players. A Class III facility includes slot machines, black jack, craps and roulette.

The state is taking the position that opening the Shasta Mountain Casino as a Class II facility is an effort to "forestall the State's efforts to resolve the Indian lands dispute until after construction of the gaming facility is complete."

In the letter, Hoch states "The Tribe's conduct over the past year gives the state reason to believe that the tribe intends to operate the Shasta Mountain Casino as a class III facility. Beginning in February, 2005, and for the next 10 months, the Tribe repeatedly assured the state that construction activities on the Benter Allotment (where the Casino is planned) were related to a planned pharmaceutical compounding plant and tribal offices and did not include construction of the Shasta Mountain Gaming Facility.

"On December 8, 2005, the Tribe conceded for the first time that what it had repeatedly told the state over the preceding months was false. Specifically, the Tribe informed the state that the construction activities on the Benter Allotment had included the preparation of the casino's foundation and that the casino and pharmaceutical compounding plant would be co-located within the same structure. Moreover, your representation that the Tribe now intends to operate the Shasta Mountain Casino as a class II facility is at odds with the Tribe's actions over the past year, and with the fact the Tribe retains class III gaming licenses that are presently unused at the Tribe's existing gaming facility and were presumably acquired for use in the Shasta Mountain Casino."

The state alleges that since the Tribe plans to operate Shasta Mountain Casino as a class II facility, the unused class III licenses should be relinquished to the California Gambling Control Commission and returned to the pool of licenses available to other tribes.

"If the Tribe does not wish to relinquish the licenses, those licenses that are not in commercial operation within 12 months of their issuance shall be canceled once those 12 months have expired. We understand that a number of the tribe's licenses may be subject to immediate cancellation."

A letter dated March 17 was also sent to Del Rosa from the National Indian Gaming Commission and that letter warns that NIGC does not believe the Alturas tribe is authorized to conduct gaming at the Yreka site. A formal opinion has apparently not been sent to the Tribe. That warning letter, however, urges the Tribe to permanently cease construction of the casino and discontinue plans for future game activity on the site.

Make sure to correct voter registration

During the signature checking on several candidates' nomination papers, Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison discovered several people who needed to make corrections in their voter registration.

In addition, voters who registered before last year may need to contact the County Clerk to insure they have a proper voter identification number. That number could be part of a driver's license number or the last four digits of a person's social security number. Madison asks voters to contact her office before April 14. Voters who do not have a voter ID number may not receive the voter information packets.

The final day to register to vote for the June 6 Primary Election is May 22. That's also the final day to make registration changes. One of the major areas needed attention is voters' addresses matching up with their current registration. If someone has moved or had a name change, he needs to make the voter registration change.

Madison said it's very important for people to make those changes soon, in the next week or two, so that they insure they'll receive their state information pamphlet as well as a sample ballot.

People can make changes at the County Clerk's Office. For more information call 333-6201.
The June 6 election races have been set and the campaigns are well underway.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and attorney Susanville Gary Woolverton, listing an Adin address, are running for District Attorney. Cotta has challenged Woolverton's entry into the race, charging the Adin address does not represent Woolverton's actual domicile.

The race for Sheriff is between current Undersheriff Mark Gentry and retiring California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter. Poindexter will officially retire from the CHP today.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator and County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw are in a race for that office.

The race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council includes incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass and challengers Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

The Board of Supervisors consolidated the Clerk/Auditor departments, effectively eliminating a race for County Clerk. County Clerk Maxine Madison said the ordinance does not take effect until April 6, so the actual, ballot entry has not yet been decided.

Auditor Judi Stevens and Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch are unopposed as is City Treasurer Kathie Alves.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against Bradshaw. Macsay is unopposed.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Budget cuts threaten RC&D existence

Proposed cuts in President Bush's budget would see funding for the Resource Conservation & Development Councils drop by about 75 percent across the nation and here at home, according to Terry Williams, chairman of the North Cal-Neva Resource Conservation and Development Council.

"To do that, they've decided that they could eliminate a number of RC&D coordinators and make the coordinators that are left work in two or three RC&D areas instead of one," said Williams, lamenting the proposed cutbacks of the 368 funded RC&Ds across the country. "It's almost an impossible job for them to do."

The Department of Agriculture, inaugurated the RC&D program in 1962 to help people care for and protect the natural resources in their local area. They were also tasked with improving the economy, the environment and living standards at the same time.

Williams believes that cutting the program would not be wise. "The RC&D program is very unique. It's a federal/private partnership—the idea being that these nonprofit organizations would get federal support through coordinators to assist them throughout."

He sees the RC&Ds as very productive for little expense. "A lot of our work is volunteer from every area. People come in and donate their time for any projects that we set up.

"It's local. That's the main thing. It's not a government thing. It's done by local people, and they get the projects done that need to be done locally."

"It's a shame," said Mark Steffek, coordinator for the North Cal-Neva RC&D, speaking of the proposed cuts. He explained that the councils are a real bargain for taxpayers. While the Natural Resources Conservation Service provides some financial and staffing support to the RC&D councils, most of their funding comes from grants received from local, state and other federal agencies.

"The work that the RC&Ds do in this country is just unbelievable," said Williams, emphasizing the profitability of the agency. "I think they figure that we earn nine dollars to every one dollar (of funding) that we get in projects and accomplishments. There's no other government agency can even top that for making money."

The loss of the agency funding would impact five local counties. "North Cal-Neva RC&D includes most of Modoc County, Lassen and Plumas Counties, eastern Shasta County and northern Washoe County," said Steffek. "We're one of the two, two-state RC&Ds in California. Ours is the oldest."

Williams pointed out that this is the second time in as many years that the agency has come under budgetary scrutiny. "Last year they decided to cut our funding by 50 percent by cutting out the oldest RC&D area coordinators—just flat dropping them. Ours is 39 years old, so we were on the hit list."

But he noted that the crisis was averted, thankfully. "We would just cease to exist here," said Williams, "because there would be no funding to support the office or the position.

"I think they just took an arbitrary number," he said, continuing. "And that didn't work. They got a lot of pressure to drop that. So, that's why they came up with the idea to drop 273 coordinator positions."

If the recommend cuts take effect, Steffek's coordinator position is in jeopardy. Williams is quick to point out that without a coordinator, the program would be dead in the water. "He does everything," says Williams of Steffek, who has only one assistant. "He sets up meetings; he organizes everything the council does. He goes out and meets with various groups to find out from the community what needs to be done or what we can do to help get done and he runs the office here."

The planned budget cuts reflect a core difference of opinion as to the mission of the RC&Ds.
The administration sees them as temporary programs, meant to spur local involvement and initiative. But, they reason that if the program has not achieved the desired results after 20 years, it should no longer be funded.
The councils' that guide the RC&Ds believe the program will always be necessary as long as there are unidentified and unfunded projects in the community.

"I think that's one of the big items that congress, the president, whoever They're not looking at that," said Williams. "They're just looking at this little outlay they have for the coordinator, that he's spending to help local groups put together these projects."

Williams sees this move as a shortsighted view of budgeting, and he has dedicated considerable time and effort to lobbying for continued funding. "I've contacted everybody that could possibly help us."

Furthermore, he urges public support. "Write a letter to your member of congress and request that the funding be whole for the RC&D groups throughout the U.S. In particular, contract your local congressmen. That's the person to talk to, and it needs to be done soon," Williams said, concluding. "It's an immediate type thing that needs to be done."

Virgie Rea Meyer

Services for life-long Modoc resident Virgie Rosalind Rea Meyer will be held this morning, March 30, at 10 a.m. graveside at the Alturas Cemetery. Dr. Ben Zandstra will officiate.Mrs. Meyer had been the last living charter member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary to Pete Christensen Post 3327. She enjoyed her 100th birthday party on August 8, 2005. Her unfailing energy well into her 90s, kept her active as a strong, dedicated and patriotic member of her community. Virgie, as she was known to young and old, passed away on March 23, 2006 at the Skilled Nursing Facility at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA.

Born Virgie Rea at Parker Creek, Modoc County on August 8, 1905, she was the eldest child and never shunned hard work, working beside her father on the family's Parker Creek Ranch. She preferred outdoor work. Until age nine, she attended Hopewell School at Parker Creek, then the family moved and she attended Alpine School on the old road to Cedarville, then Lindale School in Davis Creek. Nothing is left of either school. She graduated from Modoc Union High School in June 1924. She had planned to become a teacher, but met her husband John Meyer at a New Year's Eve Dance at the old Orpheum Theater, where Frank's Carpets is today. They married June 14, 1924 at the old Baptist Church, where Federated Church is today.

Virgie worked for the PUCC Telephone Co. when Social Security cards were first issue and she received hers. She and John remodeled and added onto their Alturas home. Virgie wanted a fireplace in the kitchen, so she built it herself. Both enjoyed rock hounding as a hobby. An amateur geologist, miner, lapidary artist and gardener, Virgie operated a rock and jewelry shop out of a separate cabin on their property. During war time, when her daughters were in high school, Virgie organized a volunteer ambulance corps through the Red Cross and loved the excitement of being the ambulance driver. She was also allowed to carry a concealed weapon following an incident in 1945 when picking up an escaped convict on an ambulance run. For 10 years, she volunteered to drive patients to San Francisco, Reno and destinations south. She also organized the community blood drives sponsored by the VFW Auxiliary 3327. Virgie earned a silver badge as Deputy Sheriff under Sheriff John Sharp and worked as a Matron under Sheriff Buck Server.

After her husband John retired from the railroad, the two enjoyed traveling for the 15 years that followed, until he passed away Feb. 8, 1983 at the age of almost 81. Virgie continued her work with the VFW Auxiliary, as publicist for the events and blood drives and kept track of the Auxiliary business for years. She started the VFW Auxiliary's giant rummage sale to raise funds to purchase stuffed Teddy bears for local agencies to give to children they come in contact with during emergencies and traumatic situations.

She is survived by her daughter Phyllis M. Olson of Alturas, CA; grandson Richard J. Partin, Lakeview, OR; granddaughter Becky L. Dederick, Alturas, CA; four great-grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren, three nieces and one nephew. She was preceded in death by her husband John Meyer; daughter Betty Meyer Partin; grandson Gary M. Partin; brother Lloyd Kirk Rea; sister Nellie Mildred Haney.

Memorial donations may be directed to the "VFW Auxiliary 3327" at 414 Archer Way, Alturas, CA 96101, for the Auxiliary's Street Flag Fund which helps replace and maintain the many Alturas Main Street flags flown during Fandango and patriotic holidays.

James 'Jim' Ardenel Bagwell

Graveside services were held for James "Jim" Ardenel Bagwell on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at the Alturas Cemetery. Pastor Curtis Barber officiated. Jim passed away on Thursday, March 23, 2006, at his home in Alturas, CA, after a short battle with cancer. He was 75.

Jim was born April 4, 1930, in Earlsboro, OK. He was a horse trader, worked in floor covering, was an avid hunter in his younger years, and was happiest spending time drinking coffee and talking with his friends. He also served in the United States Army from May of 1946 until December of 1946 when he received an Honorable Discharge. He spent more than 50 years in Modoc County where he owned and operated The Beacon Coffee Shop.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Nell Bagwell, his son Scott Bagwell, and his brother Clovis Bagwell. He is survived by his wife Pat Bagwell of Alturas; his mother Recy Hicks of Alturas; son Robert Bagwell of Roseville; daughter and son-in-law Linda and Roy Harris of Toelle, UT; stepdaughter Rita Merino of Roseville; stepdaughter Patricia Merino Griffin of Bethany, OK; stepson and daughter-in-law Butch and Judy Merino of Oklahoma City, OK; stepdaughter and son-in-law Michelle (Merino) and Kendell Ayers of Yukon, OK; 17 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and numerous other friends and family.

Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association.

The family would especially like to thank Leonard Sykes, Karla Yancey, the doctors and nurses at Merle West Medical/Cancer Center and at the Modoc County Hospital for their support and dedication to his care. We would also like to thank all of Jim's friends for their outpouring of love during this difficult time. Services for

Kittie Eades

Pastor Steve Black will officiate services Friday, March 31 at 11 a.m. at the Lookout Church in Lookout for Kittie Eades. Mrs. Eades passed away March 26, 2006 at Mayers Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills, CA. Memorial donations may be directed to the Bieber Historical Museum.

A potluck will follow at the Lookout Fire Hall. McDonald's Chapel in Burney has charge of arrangements.

Edmund Henry "Bert" Schafer
August 22, 1914 to December 5th, 2005
Claudine Frances Schafer
February 11, 1915 to February 25, 2006

Edmund Schafer, "Grandpa Bert", was born on the family farm Nebraska, August 22, 1914. He was a simple, wise man with an incredible work ethic. He grew up on a farm in Steinauer, Nebraska, after his parents emigrated from Germany in the early 1900s. He was a farmer at heart, always going to bed early and rising with the chickens, working seven days a week.

Bert owned and operated a Chevron service station in Southern California for thirty years, retiring in the summer of 1981, and then moving the family to Alturas, California, where their youngest son, Robert Schafer, was already residing. Their daughter, Phyllis, and her family followed shortly thereafter.

In Modoc, Bert enjoyed fishing, card playing, gardening, sports and watching Fox News. He and Claudine also enjoyed Happy Hours with their Modoc friends throughout the years at Benny's and King Wah. Bert kept himself going through the years by creating special goals to live for including living to see the new millennium, seeing a Republican back in the Presidency, the Angels winning a World Series, and celebrating his 60th wedding anniversary with his sweetheart. The most special and important goal he lived for was to take care of Claudine. He took care of her until the day he died... it was a "labor of love." For this act, he is Claudine's and his family's hero for eternity.

Claudine Frances Schafer, "Grandma Claudine", was born Claudine Morrissey , in Columbus, Nebraska, on February 11, 1915. She and Grandpa Bert both graduated from the same high school in Steinauer. She attended nursing school at St Anthony's, in Sabetha, Kansas, from which she graduated in 1935.
She cherished being a nurse, specializing in Emergency Room nursing and Labor & Delivery. She loved the excitement and adrenalin, and most of all helping put people back together. She was loved and respected by all her colleagues. In her later years of nursing, she worked as an Industrial Nurse for TRW where she later retired and was greatly honored for her career by having her name etched on a plaque which was sent into space.

Claudine married Angelo Durante in 1940 and had two children, Jeannine and Laurence Durante. She later divorced and married Edmund "Bert" Schafer, her childhood friend, in 1946. They had three children, Phyllis, James and Robert. The family left Nebraska in 1951, moving to California, eventually settling in Santa Ana where they both worked and retired.

In the late 1960s, Claudine and Bert took in and reared Matthew and Barbara (Phyllis's oldest two children). After Claudine retired, she spent all her time with her grandchildren...they gave her life! Matt and Barb and all the grandkids were envied by the neighborhood children who adopted Claudine as their own "Grandma Claudine."

After moving to Alturas in 1981, Bert spent the next four years taking care of Matt and Barbara, making sure they woke up for school in time to catch the "yellow bomber," and then greeting them when school was out. "During this time, we really grew to love and respect him for the wonderful person he was."

Besides her grandchildren, another passion in Grandma Claudine's life was to hop into the car and drive, drive, drive...anywhere at anytime. She was the most adventurous, outgoing woman of her time! She carried on this pleasure-seeking tradition until the day she forfeited her driver license in 1996. There are so many adventures to treasure... one special road trip was to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in 1978 when she spent a week with four of her grandchildren tooling around the Tetons, Yellowstone, and Jackson Hole. It was the summer Jimmy Carter was also on vacation with his family out there. With Grandma Claudine's luck, they all met the president, his wife, and Amy. Claudine became friends with the ABC cameraman, David Garcia, and called into a nationally syndicated radio talk show to give the world all the details of the president's vacation. This was one of the most special vacations of her life...she talked joyfully about it for years.

In Modoc, Claudine volunteered for ten years at the Modoc Senior Center. She loved this experience, her co-workers, and meeting all the folks around town.

In the later years, Grandma and Grandpa looked forward to family visits during the holidays and summer vacations. We would all sit around the table, playing cards, gazing out the window at the blue spruce, and arguing over how much longer the turkey needed to be cooked. When Grandma was able, she would stay up all night cooking a feast fit for a royal family. We will greatly miss all the "quirky" family traditions. One of our favorites was turning the corner of Pencil Road and Mountain Quail, honking the horn and looking at the excitement on their faces through the dining room window, or having them greet us on the deck or at the front door. The saddest times were always saying 'goodbye', and wondering if that would be the last time seeing them.

We were all blessed to have had them for so very many years. They lived long full lives, gave lots of love, and were dearly loved in return. They left an impact on each and every one of us, more than they will ever truly know. While they have left us physically, they spiritually remain in our hearts, minds, and photos forever.

I would like to extend a special and deep thanks to all their caregivers in Alturas, and a special thanks to Father Patrick Henry and Rhea Jones for the weekly spiritual commitment and prayers throughout the years. Bert and Claudine are both preceded in death by numerous family members, including their parents and siblings. They are survived by their five children: Mary (Bob) Salt Lake City, Utah; Larry (Suzie) Garden Grove, CA; Phyllis, Alturas, CA; Jim (Joyce) Wildomare, CA; and Robert, Alturas; 10 grandchildren: Mike, Lisa, Matt, Dino, Barbara, Paula, David, Larry, Patrick and Edrie; 11 great-grandchildren and many more family and friends who will miss them dearly. A Catholic service and Mass will be held in their honor on March 31 and April 1, 2006 at Christus St. Joseph Villa Chapel, 451 Bishop Federal Lane Salt Lake City, Utah.

"The longer you live, the more you are loved. The longer you are loved, the more memories you create, and the harder it is to say goodbye." With Love, Barbara Girgen.

Michael Gardell Estis

Michael Gardell Estis, son of Rosalie (Wallbaum) Estis of Alturas, and the late Harold Estis, passed away of natural causes at his home at Dry Creek Basin, outside Alturas, CA on March 26, 2006. He was 47.
Born in Napa, CA on June 1, 1958, at Queen of the Valley Hospital, he attended school in Napa and graduated from Vintage High School in 1977.

He worked for Kaiser Steel in Napa for a number of years and also on a number of other construction jobs in Napa. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved to hunt. He had semi-retired when he moved to Modoc County five years ago. His father Harold passed away in 1995.

In addition to his mother, Michael is survived by his three aunts: Beulah Acarregui of Caldwell, Idaho; June Matisohn of Oakdale, CA and Pat Barton of Napa, CA.; numerous cousins and many loving friends also mourn for him, especially Terry Long of Alturas, Ron Long of Napa and Shane Rossmoore of Alturas.

Sports

Crane Count at Refuge a treat

By Lynda Demsher

Volunteers who take part in the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge's Crane Count Saturday, April 8, will get treated to coffee and donuts, a great day of bird watching, and get a chance to learn about the newly-formed Friends of the MNWR. The Friends will be up early to serve while Refuge Biologist Shannon Ludwig gives a brief overview of the Sandhill crane counting effort and hands out maps of the areas that need to be surveyed. Only breeding pairs will be counted, and those should be easy to distinguish from the juveniles who tend to group together, said Refuge Manager Steve Clay.

"For some reason, the young cranes are sticking around longer than they usually do," he said. "They usually take off by the time we start counting the breeding pairs, but some may be around this year. Shannon will have maps showing where known breeding pairs are though, and since they are very territorial and tend to return to the same nesting grounds year after year, the breeding pairs shouldn't be too hard to spot."

Four large areas on the west side of the Warner Mountains will be targeted, he said. Those include Likely, Canby, Goose Lake and Jess Valley. Surprise Valley will be covered by a separate group of volunteers who will be going out April 1, he said.

Volunteers will be asked to drive their assigned area and count the number of pairs they see. There should be two volunteers per car, and they should bring binoculars or spotting scopes. Lunch, a camera, and a clipboard might come in handy as well. Crane counters will only look for breeding pairs from county roads, but may pull off to the side occasionally to set up a scope or scan with binoculars. If residents of the four targeted areas see people along side the road with binoculars April 8th, they will merely be crane counters, Ludwig said.

Property owners in the four areas are also encouraged to call the Refuge, at 233-3572, and report any nesting cranes that may be missed by volunteers driving by. Sandhill cranes love to nest in Modoc County because agricultural practices here provide them with their favorite habitat, says Ludwig. He said the last survey of breeding pairs on private land was done in 2001, and he would like to find out if there has been an increase in the population. Many people believe that agriculture and wildlife conservation are at odds, but that doesn't seem to be the case here, he said, and he'd like to prove that.

"It's important to find out how private land management contributes to crane habitat," Ludwig said.
Crane counters will be provided with a form for entering the number of pairs they see, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope, so they can take their time during the count without worrying about having to report back at a certain time, Ludwig noted.

Volunteers who join the crane count will also have an opportunity to become a member of the Friends of the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge. Friends groups have been in existence for many years, providing volunteer help with projects that might not otherwise get done, especially in these tight financial times, according to Friends of MNWR President David Mason. The group recently got its non-profit status and can now take tax-deductible donations, he said. With only about 12 members so far, the fledgling group of volunteers has already started a landscaping project at the Refuge entrance, a photo blind project on one of the Refuge ponds, not normally accessible to the public, where photographers can get close-ups of the migratory birds, and has plans for several rustic, wood benches to be placed along the tour route. The Friends will also be a resource for volunteers for the Adopt-A-Watershed program that provides outdoor education opportunities for area students, and will be involved with the annual Migratory Bird Festival held in September.

The Refuge has the potential of drawing "eco-tourists" to Modoc County where their dollars can help local businesses, Mason said. Improvements on the Refuge will make it more attractive to tourists, as well as provide local visitors with more amenities, he added. There are also a number of grants available to Friends groups to help with Refuge projects, so this is one group that won't have to raise all its funds from the community, he said.
Anyone wishing to volunteer for the crane count can call the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge at 233-3572. Those who would like to join the Friends can call 233-5505 and leave a message, or show up for the crane count and pick up an application.

Modoc track team opens March 30

The Modoc High School Track team will start its season at the Mt. Shasta Time Trials March 30.
Coaching the track team is Wendi Lowrey, with assistants Mike Martin, Don Mason, Steve Tate, Loren Ambers and Kathy Hall.

Team members this year are: Travis Wood, Zeke Bonham, Grant Hall, Cam Hall, Catherine Lowry, John Lowry, Rachel Kerbergen, Stacey Parnow, Stacey Main, Merielle Nardoni, Kelly Campagna, Jennifer Joyce, Danielle Moriarity, Michel Funk, John Crnkovic, Rachel Field, Kieran Porter, Lacey Conger, Kyle Hartman, Seth Hartman, Chrissy Abbott-Hall, Kim Partee, Micah Eppler, Amanda Hess, Alisha Hayes, Robert Spedding and Lenny Gladu.

Luscombe is 2-2 at Nationals

Tulelake's John Luscombe, who placed second in the California State Championships at 145 pounds, went 2-2 in the National High School finals at Pittsburgh Pa., last weekend.

Luscombe lost to Mike Haxton of Ohio 4-3, after pinning Florida's Michael Weiss and beating Nevada's Bryce Saddoris 6-4. He lost to Ohio's Andy Lanacusa 6-5.

Modoc's Travis Wood, wrestling at 152 pounds, lost to Minnesota's Michael Rubbena 12-4 in an opening match and lost 1-0 to Louisiana's Matthew Cotaya in the second match.

April 6th, 2006

News

County Counsel says voter residency definition very lenient

Modoc County Counsel John Kenny Friday issued an opinion stating that Susanville Attorney Gary Woolverton is a qualified candidate for Modoc District Attorney.

Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison asked Kenny for an opinion concerning a challenge from local Pubic Defender Richard Cotta, a candidate for DA, to Woolverton meeting the Modoc residency requirement.

Woolverton may have never actually lived in the home at 100 Main Street, Adin, when he registered to vote in Modoc March 14 and used that as his residence.

Cotta had challenged that since he did not live at that residence, he was not qualified to run for office because his domicile was not in Modoc County at the time.

Apparently, according to Kenny's opinion, that didn't really matter.

"For the purposes of election law, domicile and residence mean the same thing and are determined in part by the intention of the party. Registration to vote itself implies an intention to reside permanently," he states. "The courts can be very lenient in determining what is sufficient for residency. A voter listing a park as a residence for purposes of registration was found to be sufficient even though there was an ordinance prohibiting camping in the park."

Cotta had cited election code stating, "Residence for voting purposes means a person's domicile. The domicile of a person is that place in which his or her habitation is fixed, wherein the person has the intention of remaining, and to which, whenever he or she is absent, the person has the intention of returning. At a given time, a person may have only one residence."

Kenny said it would be risky for Madison to disqualify Woolverton and that Cotta would still have court remedies.

In his opinion, Kenny states that the "reason for the proposed disqualification is not expressly stated, but it appears the concern has to do with one party's residence . . . It appears that the concern of the party complaining (Cotta) deals with whether the other candidate is a resident of Modoc County. As such, his complaint would be directed at whether the candidate should be a registered voter.

"A ‘voter' is an elector who is registered to vote. An ‘elector' means any person who is a United States Citizen 18 years of age or older and a resident of an election precinct at least 29 days prior to an election."
While Kenny states that the reason for proposed disqualification is not expressly stated, Cotta had presented a specific complaint and a 28-page investigation report detailing his views and findings.

On Monday, Woolverton said he was please with Kenny's opinion, and it mirrored what he had researched. He has established a residence outside of Alturas as of March 25 and according to the Clerk's office has changed his voting residence to that address. He said he will leave it to Modoc voters as to whether he is a "carpetbagger" in the June 6 election.

Cotta said there are several options open to him, including a lawsuit, but he hasn't made the decision which option to take. He said he is studying case law cited by Kenny.

DA helped Woolverton collect signatures

Modoc County District Attorney Jordan Funk assisted Susanville Attorney Gary Woolverton, and DA candidate in June, in obtaining signatures for his nomination papers, and as such forwarded a complaint by candidate Richard Cotta to the Attorney General.

"Approximately two weeks ago, Richard Cotta tendered to me a complaint alleging election law violations by District Attorney candidate Gary Woolverton," Funk said. "Because I assisted Mr. Woolverton in obtaining signatures on his nomination papers, I deemed it inappropriate for me to act on the matter since my impartiality might be called into question. I, therefore, forwarded the matter to the Attorney General."

Funk said he forwarded Woolverton's response to Cotta's complaint and Friday's analysis and conclusion by County Counsel John Kenny to the AG as well.

"The Attorney General has instructed me to inform interested parties that he is reviewing the matter," Funk said.

February, March snows push levels past normal

A wet weather pattern from February through March pushed mountain snowpack levels to well above averages in Modoc.

The Modoc National Forest snow surveys for April were completed at the end of last week and show a marked increase in both snow depth and water content since the January measurements.

Adin Mountain has 43.5 inches of snow, with 15.4 inches of water content. That's 30 percent higher than the normal snow depth of 33.6 inches and 21 percent higher for water content of 12.8 inches.

Cedar Pass now has 54 inches of snow with 18.9 inches of water. The annual average for Cedar Pass at this time is 44 inches of snow and 16.7 inches of water. The snowpack is 122 percent of normal and the water content is 113 percent of normal.

Blue Lake has 32 inches of snow containing 11 inches of water. The yearly average is 28 inches of snow and 10.1 inches of water. This year snow depth is 116 percent of normal and water is 106 percent of normal.
Medicine Lake is buried under 134.8 inches of snow containing 46.3 inches of water. That's 163 percent of the normal 82.5 inches of snow and 141 percent of the normal 32.8 water content.

The snow survey point at Medicine Lake is at 6,700 feet; it's 6,200 feet at Adin Mountain, 7,100 feet on Cedar Pass and 6,800 feet at Blue Lake.

Last April's surveys showed less snow: Cedar Pass, 44 inches containing 14.2 inches of water; Blue Lake, 18 inches of snow with 5.7 inches of water; and Medicine Lake, 76.6 inches of snow with 30.5 inches of water.

The January surveys showed the following results:

Snow levels at Blue Lake measured 17.1 inches, containing 4.7 inches of water, 68 percent of normal for snow depth (25 inches) and 61 percent of water content (7.6 inches.) Last year Blue Lake had 15 inches of snow in January with a water content of 3.4 inches in January.

Cedar Pass had 30.8 inches of snow, containing 8.3 inches of water. The annual average for that spot is 35 inches containing 10.7 inches of water. The snow level was 85 percent of normal and the water content 77 percent of normal. Last year in January, the area had 27 inches of snow containing 7.8 inches of water.
Adin Mountain, measured 23.6 inches of snow with 6.6 inches of water. That was 84 percent of average snow depth (28.2 inches) and 79 percent water content (8.32 inches).

National Power biomass project moving forward

The proposed National Power biomass power plant project is moving forward, carefully, although somewhat tediously.

National Power is proposed to construct a 20-40 megawatt biomass power plant on city-owned property north of the existing structures at the mill site, near the Alturas airport. The project also includes a small log sawmill.
According to National's Len Wohadto, the biggest issue at this moment is National Power's contract with Sierra Pacific. While the bidding process is complete, the contract still has to be approved by the Nevada Public Utilities Commission, which has about 135 days for approval. He expects that approval to come in June or July.

Once the 20-year power contract is in place, National will start a full Environmental Impact Report on the project and file all the necessary applications with the local planning department. The EIR process will include the required and necessary public scoping meetings and hearings. Wohadto said the process will be transparent and the community well informed and involved.

The City and County have been working on this power plant project in a joint effort for well more than a year.
The entire project is expected to create more than 100 new jobs in Modoc County, from actual plant workers to the logging and trucking industries.

September 7, 2006

News

Interest in Anklin's seat grows

At last two people have made application to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to replace former District IV Supervisor Ray Anklin.

Shorty Crabtree, a local rancher, and Ron McCullough, a businessman and driver for the Modoc Senior Center, have both field the necessary paperwork, although the Governor's office has not actually posted the correct filing papers on its Internet site.

Anyone wishing to fill Anklin's position must file an application with the Governor, who will make the appointment.

Anklin, of Canby, formally resigned his seat in August after entering a "no contest" plea in Modoc Superior Court on charges of having sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl last spring and summer.

As a part of his plea deal, Anklin had to resign from the Modoc County Board of Supervisors.
According to County Clerk Maxine Madison, a notice of vacancy to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been sent. Madison said an election is not allowed, and the appointed Supervisor would serve Anklin's remaining term, through 2008. There is no indication on how long the Governor will take to make an appointment.

All registered voters in District IV are eligible to apply for appointment and must make application online at http://www.gov.ca.gov/index.php?/appointments/application.

Government Code 2500 requires each county to have a Board of Supervisors consisting of five members.

Anyone who makes application to fill the vacancy is asked to notify Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison at 233-6201.

Voter registration open for Nov. election

Voters interested in voting in the November 7 General Election have until October 23 to register to vote. Any changes in voter registration should also be made at that time, including name and address corrections.

The November 7 election is shaping up and a pivotal point in national state and local politics. Nationally, U.S. Representative John Doolittle is facing one of his biggest challenges from retired Air Force Officer Charlie Brown. Doolittle has been heavily implicated in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.

There will be local elections in November in the Modoc Joint Unified School District, Tulelake Joint Unified School District, California Pines Community Services District and the Fort Bidwell Fire District.

Incumbent Karen Hays has filed for re-election in the Modoc Joint Unified School District and two challengers have filed, Erin Bevil and Eric Sittig. Incumbent Pat Swanson is not seeking re-election.
There are four seats on the ballot for the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District. There will not be an election in that four people have filed for those seats and there is no competition. In Cedarville, the seats of Gene Erquiaga and James Laacke expire. Laacke and a challenger, Penny Borghi, have filed, but Erquiaga did not run. Bill Bostic has filed for re-election and Alissa Fee has filed in Fort Bidwell. Ft. Bidwell's incumbent, Steve Smith, did not file.

Incumbent Roy Wright has filed for re-election on the Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School Board. Two challengers, Venencio Hernandez and Randall Bailey have also filed. Incumbent Donald Kirby did not file.

On the County Board of Education: District Two's Rebekah Ingraham; District Three's Dixie Server; and District Five's Marcella Haynes have filed and will not have to face an election.
There will be an election for one seat on the Fort Bidwell Fire District. Incumbent John Drew is being challenged by John Brauner.

An election is also set for the California Pines Community Services District where three seats are up. Incumbent Lola Milliron and Bruce Rodgers are running for re-election, but Robert Lyons has not filed. Three challengers have filed: James Ganoe, Stanley Ehlinger and Hank Drury.

Julie Gagnon has filed for re-election to Big Valley Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees.

Hospital debt goes up nearly $400,000

Modoc Medical Center's debt to the county increased at the end of August to $5,989,192.44, up $387,234 from July's $5,601,957.81 according to Modoc County Auditor Judi Stevens.

That's up from June's $5,355,838.60. The debt from September, 2005 has increased by $1,298,380.
By month the debt looked like this: September $4,690,812; October $4,741,129; November $4,585,423; December $4,867,652; January $4,793,393; February $5,071,818, March $5,366.613 and April $5,531,096.

The Modoc Record will continue to publish the actual debt at the end of each month.

Birdfest takes wing Sept. 15

Ever wish you could go on a safari to a strange and fascinating place? Your wish will be granted Friday, September 15, and you don't even have to leave Alturas. At 7 p.m. Stefan Savides will present his collection of fascinating wildlife photos during the "International Bird Safari" in the social hall at Modoc High School. Savides, a taxidermy artist from Klamath Falls, recently returned from Africa where he photographed many kinds of fascinating birds and animals. After the presentation, the Friends of the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, who are sponsoring the event, will serve coffee and cheesecake with a variety of toppings. The event is free to the public. However, donations for Friends' projects at the Refuge will be welcomed, along with people interested in joining the Refuge supporters.

Saturday, the annual Wings of the Warners Modoc Migratory Bird Festival rolls to a start with a "Birds and Bikes" bicycle ride at 8:30 a.m. Riders will gather in the Modoc Museum parking lot (near the train engine) and ride to the Refuge, around the auto/walking tour route to observe the wildlife, and back to the Veterans' Park where the Festival begins at 9:30 a.m. The First Baptist Youth Group will have Krispy Kreme donuts and coffee available for returning bike riders and early Festival arrivals.

This year's artistic offerings will include Jim Walker's wood carvings, Linda LaNeve's creative gourds, Sandy Higa's jewelry, and Dick Mackey's Canyon Creek pottery. Informational booths will feature the latest happenings from the Alturas Chamber of Commerce, Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the Library, and Modoc Historical Association, as well as the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, The River Center, and other wildlife agencies. The annual "Tub of Treasures" will also be available at the Information Booth as a fund-raiser to help with Festival expenses.

New at the Festival this year will be music featuring talented local musicians from the Country Jammers. A lunch break has been scheduled so people won't have to worry about choosing between listening to music or attending a workshop. Several food booths will be available so no one need leave the park for a meal. Also new at this year's event is a nature-related scavenger hunt for anyone who wants to participate.

Bird watching is becoming a popular hobby nowadays, and those interested in finding out more about this fascinating pursuit can join a bird-watching clinic Saturday morning, shortly after the Bird Festival opens. Following that, bats have their due as John "The Batman" Ranlett leads a workshop explaining the myths and wonders of the furry fliers. For real live wildlife, catch Redding's Turtle Bay Museum's display of raptors on Saturday afternoon. Owls, hawks, a golden eagle, and a very dignified buzzard are usually featured, with Turtle Bay docents available to give information about each one.

Children's activities include face painting and a variety of hands-on nature craft projects. They can also get their picture taken as an antelope or crane, participate in the scavenger hunt, and make a bird house to take home. The hilarious "Quack Me Up" duck-calling contest winds up Saturday's activities with judges determining who comes closest to sounding like a real duck.

On Sunday, at 7:30 a.m. a Guided bird watching tour begins at the Refuge. At 8:30 a.m. a mist netting demonstration at the Refuge (trained people will demonstrate how songbirds are caught and banded). Those seeking adventure will have a chance to participate in The River Center's annual River Clean-Up Day. Those interested simply show up at The River Center, Henderson Street in Alturas, at 10:30 a.m. for an approximately two-hour escapade along the banks of the Pit River and its watershed area.

Sharon Kormier Blick

Former Alturas resident, Sharon Kormier Blick of Mojave, CA, passed away at her home on September 3, 2006. A memorial service for Mrs. Blick, will be held Wednesday, September 20 at 2 p.m. at Stickel Mortuary in Mojave.

A former resident of Alturas, CA and a 1955 graduate of Modoc Union High, Mrs. Blick was born July 16, 1937 in Reno, Nevada. She attended Reno Beauty College in 1955.

She met and married Morris Blick of Virginia and the couple celebrated their golden anniversary on July 22. Mrs. Blick was a wonderful homemaker and mother, who traveled the world through her husband's Air Force career over the years. She was the daughter of George and Blanche Kormier of Alturas.

She is survived by her husband Morris of Mojave; brother James Kormier of Healdsburg; sons David Blick of Mojave, James Blick of Wyoming and Kenneth Blick of Nebraska.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to any favorite charity of the donor's choosing.

The small log sawmill is an integral part of the project, said Wohadto. In most cases, he said, the power plants were used to generate electricity to run the sawmills. In this case, the sawmill will be the main supplier of fuel for the power plant, and the electricity will be sold to Sierra Pacific. The value of the plant is expected to be above $50 million.

The plant is projected to need about 150,000 tons of fuel per year, but will be operating more efficiently than existing biomass plants and it must meet California emission standards. National Power states the plant will use one-third less fuel to produce the same amount of electricity as existing biomass plants.

National hopes the first draft of the EIR can been finished by the end of this year and all the permitting and land use issues settled and in place by the end of 2007. Construction could start in 2008 with the plant possibly coming on line in 2010.

The current effort to manage juniper in this neck of the woods is one of the driving forces behind the biomass plant project. National believes there is sufficient and renewable fuel resource to meet the long-term needs of the power plant. In addition, the state's move towards more "green energy" sources is a big part of the project.

National Power describes itself as an owner and operator of environmentally sensitive electric generating facilities which has existing facilities in Australia and United States. The company was founded in 1991 and is privately owned.

The site for the proposed power plant is on 103 acres of city-owned property at the mill site adjacent to the airport.

National Power projects include in the Big Valley Mill power plant, which is up and running. That plant had been closed and shut down when Big Valley Lumber Mill was sold and dismantled, but the power plant remained intact. It is a biomass power plant, burning wood products.

The City of Alturas is currently working to resolve a variety of serious sewer plant issues, not the least of which is satisfying a state cease and desist order. Those issues are being addressed and rectified.

The City hired Wendy Johnston of Vestra Resources, Inc., out of Redding, as their project manager. A lot of the work on the sewer project may dovetail with the power plant as plans are to make use of the sewer wastewater for the cooling towers. By using that water, the plant should not have an adverse impact on the available water resources.

Hospital debt up to $5.36 million

Modoc Medical Center's debt to Modoc County increased to $5,366,613.58 for March, 2006 as reported by

Modoc County Auditor/Recorder Judi Stevens Monday. That's up from $5,071,818.73 reported by the Record for February, an increase of $294,794.80.

That's a $665,801.10 increase from September, 2005's debt of $4,690,812.46.

The debt is fluid and did drop in November to $4,585,423.21. Month by month the debt was: September $4,690,812; October $4,741,129; November $4,585,423; December $4,867,652; January $4,793,393; and February $5,071,818.

The Modoc Record will continue to publish the actual debt at the end of each month.

Leah Estill to represent Modoc as Beef Princess

It was a big night for Leah Estill of Eagleville and Claire Crenshaw of Alturas, both 16 who were vying for Modoc County CattleWomen's fourth annual Modoc County Beef Princess title and scholarship at the Modoc District Fairgrounds in Cedarville last Saturday night.

The two young women spoke eloquently before a dinner crowd of 165 people. "It was a very close competition," described Modoc County CattleWoman Sharon Crabtree of the point outcome, in which Leah Estill, daughter of John and Lani Estill of Eagleville, was announced as the new Modoc County Beef Princess for 2006/07.

Both contestants showed their keen interest and knowledge of the beef industry from diverse backgrounds in the beef industry and impressive involvement over the years with FFA and 4-H, as both officers and members. Crenshaw is the daughter of David and Patricia "Patty" Crenshaw of Alturas.

The Beef Princess will represent the Cattlemen and CattleWomen of Modoc County and surrounding areas for the coming year. Estill is required to attend many functions and events to promote public awareness regarding the benefits of beef and the beef industry. She will participate in Ag in the Classroom programs by visiting schools, attending field days and horseback riding in special events.

The purpose of the competition is to educate the public about the industry. Estill received a $500 scholarship, $100 savings bond, silver buckle, impressive hat tiara and sash, a complete western outfit, bootbag and various gifts donated by businesses and members of the CattleWomen's Association.

Surprise Valley FFA provided the steak dinner. Julie McDonell, Modoc High FFA Advisor/Ag teacher, won the grand prize, a guided salmon fishing trip on the Sacramento River by C&A Guide Services from Anderson, CA.

Obituaries:

James Duane Davis

Services for Alturas resident James Duane Davis will be held Sunday, April 9 at the Alturas Baptist Church, 500 West Fourth St., Alturas, with a traditional dinner at 2 p.m. and services to follow at the church. Burial will be at Ft. Bidwell Cemetery following the services.

Mr. Davis, passed away on his fiftieth birthday April 2, 2006, at Mercy Medical Hospital in Redding, CA. He had battled with a lengthy illness.

The well-educated Mr. Davis had a history of helping people and the world around him through his professions as a Fisheries Research Biologist, Legislative Lobbyist, Cultural Consultant, Water Director and Ranger and Defensive tactics instructor and legal advocate. He had also worked in the field of construction and was an independent business owner-operator. He was fluent in and understood the Paiute Indian Language.

Born on April 2, 1956 in Reno, Nevada, he was listed in the "Who's Who" Among American High School students in 1973 and 1974. He earned three scholarship awards toward his college education and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and numerous certificates from University of Nevada, Reno, of which he was an Alumni Member. As a former saddle bronc and bareback rider, he also enjoyed skiing and horseback riding and enjoyed watching the sport of rodeo and air racing. He also enjoyed doing carpentry, fishing, cooking, reading and was interested in computer technology. He had specialized weaponry training and handling skills and was a people watcher.

James was a kind and loving husband, married to Leah Louanne Wyatt on March 4, 1989 in Carson City, NV. Although he had grown up in Nevada, James and Leah moved to Alturas three years ago. He was known as "The Fun Marshall."

He is survived by his wife Leah Louanne Wyatt-Davis of Alturas, CA; stepson James Paul Preston, Oroville, CA; son Jason Davis, Nixon, NV; daughter Marie Davis, Durant, Oklahoma; son James-Adam Davis, Nixon, NV; daughter Rachel Davis, Durant, Oklahoma; grandmother Emmelina Lowry, Nixon, NV; uncle Ferman Lowry, Nixon, NV; uncle Ellwood Lowry, Sutcliff, NV; great-uncle Manuel "Gil" Noneo, Fallon, NV; and his special pets, Kitty and Elvis, Alturas.

His mother Adeline Davis predeceased her son in 2003.

Services are under the direction of Kerr Mortuary in Alturas. Memorial donations may be directed to a charity of the donor's choice.

Stephen David Standart

Services for Stephen David Standart of Lookout, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 7, graveside at the Adin Cemetery. Mr. Standart, 55, passed away of natural causes at his home in Lookout, CA on March 31, 2006.
Born November 2, 1950 in San Jose, CA. he had lived all but four years of his life in Big Valley. He graduated from Big Valley High School, Bieber. Stephen devoted hours to working on cars and enjoyed working on cars entered in Destruction Derbys. He also was passionate about being outdoors and he loved to hunt. He is survived by his soulmate, Kathy Reymer of Lookout; brother Jim Standart of Adin, CA; sons Stephen D. Standart, II of Newport News, VA and Arthur J. Standart of Sacramento, CA. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Services are under the direction of Kerr Mortuary, Alturas, CA.

Sports

Modoc, Weed tied in golf

The Modoc Braves and Weed Cougars are tied at 11-1 for the Shasta Cascade League golf lead this week. Modoc is set to play today at Fall River against Trinity, Fall River and Mt. Shasta.

The golf team, one of the few teams to get any action because of the weather, lost in a practice match with Lakeview April 4 at Arrowhead by the score of 537-494.

On March 30, the Braves split with Weed at Lake Shastina. Conditions were cool and gusty and caused the players some trouble. Modoc scores were: Brian Weed 87, Micah Eppler 85, Jeff Solomon 87, Keith Montague 100, Daniel Morgan 102, Matt Williams 103. Team scores were Modoc 237-218 (455), Weed 235-223 (448).
March 29, the Braves beat Bishop Quinn and Burney at Arrowhead by the following scores: Modoc 211-209 (420), Burney 310-297 (607) and Bishop Quinn (no team).

Individual scores were: Weed 77, Eppler 78, Solomon 89, Josue Madrigal 81, Montague 95 and Dustin Philpott 102.

Braves lose three ball games

Modoc's baseball team has yet to get on the home baseball field, save to shovel snow, which might explain three opening losses at the Etna tournament last weekend.

This week is not turning out much better for the Braves weather-wise as snow and rain are forecast through Saturday. "Overall, I was pleased with how the team played this weekend," said coach Tim MacDonnell. "Once we get in a groove, I think we'll be just fine."

In Etna the Braves lost to Yreka 5-0, collecting just three hits. Cox, Bill Hammerness and Justin Mason each had a hit.

Jered Cox got the loss on the mound. He allowed six hits, gave up a pair of walks and struck out five.
The Braves lost to Tulelake 2-0 with Tim Cruse getting the only hit. Jesse Harer was the losing pitcher, allowing four hits and a walk, while striking out three.

"Tulelake is a solid, well-coached team that plays small ball very well," said MacDonnell. "We were excited to finally get a game in and I was extremely pleased with our pitching."

Modoc lost to West Valley 8-2. Cruse and Harer each had a hit. Cruse got the loss, allowing six hits, walking five and striking out three.

The Braves are schedule to play Trinity here Friday with a 2 p.m. start time.

Reservoir Fisheries Management Meeting April 13, 2006

The Modoc National Forest, Bureau of Land Management - Alturas Field Office, and California Department of Fish and Game will be hosting a reservoir fisheries management meeting on April 13, 2006. The meeting will be held from 7:00 -9:00 pm at the BLM conference room, 708 W. 12th St., Alturas.

This will be an information sharing meeting and will allow public input to reservoir fisheries issues on public lands of the Modoc National Forest and BLM - Alturas Field Office. For more information contact Marty Yamagiwa at 530 233-8833.

April 13th, 2006

News

New Clerk/Auditor Ordinance in effect

The new ordinances combining the Modoc County Clerk's Office with the Auditor/Recorder's Office and establishing an appointed clerk of the Board are now in effect.

In spite of assurances to the contrary, as late as last Thursday, from opponents of the ordinances, Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison said individuals who had taken out papers for a referendum against the ordinance failed to show up. Without the referendum being filed on time, the ordinances became law and will actually become effective when Madison retires in January.

Madison said she is checking with legal counsel for what she will actually place on the June 6 ballot. No one actually filed for the new position of Auditor/County Clerk, but current Auditor Judi Stevens did file and will qualify for both positions. There will not be an election for County Clerk.

Madison reminds voters who registered before last year to contact her office to insure they have a proper voter identification number recorded.

That number could be a driver's license number or the last four digits of a person's social security number. Madison asks voters to contact her office before Friday. Voters who do not have a voter ID number may not receive the voter information packets. It's probable that voters who registered over the last year were asked to include the voter ID number.

The final day to register to vote for the June 6 Primary Election is May 22. That's also the final day to make registration changes. One of the major areas needing attention is voters' addresses matching up with their current registration. If someone has moved or had a name change, he needs to make the voter registration change.

Madison said it's very important for people to make those changes soon, in the next week, so that they insure they'll receive their state information pamphlet as well as a sample ballot.

People can make changes at the County Clerk's Office. For more information call 233-6201.

The June 6 election races are in place and several local races are contested and heated.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and Susanville attorney Gary Woolverton, are running for District Attorney.

The race for Sheriff is between current Undersheriff Mark Gentry and recently retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Incumbent Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw is being challenged for that office by Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator.

The race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council includes incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass and challengers Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

Auditor Judi Stevens and Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch are unopposed as is City Treasurer Kathie Alves.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against Bradshaw. Macsay is unopposed.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Water managers pleased with current picture

While the overabundance of water received this spring is a grave concern elsewhere in the state, causing flooding and levee damage in places, local water officials here are unanimously delighted.

"We're in great shape. My understanding is that most everybody's reservoirs are full. The ground is supersaturated. There's just water everywhere," said Steve Clay, the wildlife refuge manager who closely monitors Dorris Reservoir above Alturas.

As for the reservoir, "it's full," said Clay. "Basically, it's been full since about the beginning of March."
Jerry Wendland, watermaster for the West Valley Reservoir, said, "On the sixth, the reservoir spilled. I shut the diversion ditch off yesterday because it's full." The diversion ditch carries water from the South Fork of the Pit River to the reservoir. "I just put it in the river and let it go down to PG&E. They'll be happy."
"It's been a exceptional runoff year for the reservoir," said Willy Hagge of the Hot Springs district, who manages water in Big Sage Reservoir. "A normal runoff year for Big Sage Reservoir is about 16,000 to 17, 000 acre-feet. This year, we've already received 33,000 acre-feet into the reservoir. So, we're almost double our normal runoff into the reservoir. That shows you what an exceptional year we've had."

None of the managers seemed concerned that there might be too much water for the system to handle.
"I really don't look for that to happen," said Wendland, tersely.

He remembered the swollen streams due to late season storms in May last year. "It was up to the top of the banks," he recalled. Yet, he is apparently confident that a repeat this year would be manageable. "I think the system can handle it."

"I don't see anything on the scope of last year," said Clay, noting that the refuge is a natural flood plain, providing a safety valve for excess flows. "Everything looks very manageable right now. The refuge will probably see some minor flooding at some point this spring, depending upon how the weather goes. But, that's typical for us.

"Because we have the ability to shut off two of the inflows coming into the (Dorris) reservoir—that being Pine Creek and Parker Creek—we have some control," said Clay. "We're trying to keep it so that we can preclude a flooding event by having too much water coming into Dorris that we can't deal with. We've been keeping an eye to the weather and an eye to what's going on in the reservoir so that we can keep ahead of an event."
Noting that the 77,000 acre-feet capacity of Big Sage is not likely to be reached in one season, no matter how wet, Hagge dismisses any potential for flooding in his part of the Pit River system. "We're not even to half full yet with Big Sage. The more water the better. A huge runoff like this is not going to affect us in any way with any kind of potential to hurt our infrastructure. There is so much more capacity in the reservoir still. We couldn't have that much runoff to have Big Sage spill."

All are in agreement that the snow pack will be sufficient to supply downstream irrigators with ample water late into the season.

"I think we have a good snow pack," said Wendland, assessing the situation. "So, unless we get some real warm weather coming up right away, we're going to have a pretty decent flow in the river up until I'm hoping up into the middle of May or longer."

Hagge feels that an ample snow pack promises "a real benefit to the farmers and ranchers. I think the whole country is pretty much in that same category—a lot of water this year with reservoirs filling up nicely. So, it makes it a lot nicer than the drought situations we've been in. That's for sure."

Managers are more concerned with saturated fields that can't be plowed or planted due to excess water. "If people aren't happy, it's not going to be because of a lack of water," said Clay. "It's probably going to be from too much water."

All agree this has been a banner water year. "It's all good news for us," said Hagge, who believes that his reservoir will likely end the season with over 40,000 acre-feet. "It's nice to see Big Sage get back to a situation where it has some reserve built into it."

Only one dry day to start April

April precipitation has exceeeded the monthly average of 1.11 inches. As of Wednesday, only one day of the month was dry.

According to the Modoc National Forest measurements, 1.42 inches of precipitation was recorded from April 1 trough April 11.

Thursday was supposed to clear off and warm up, but the forecast is for another .50 inches of precipitation this weekend. April 7 was the only day so far in the month that did not have measurable rain.

Prepare for higher gas prices this summer

It may be hard to believe, but gas prices are predicted to go even higher this summer. The experts are talking about gas over $3 per gallon. Modoc has already exceeded that price.

On Tuesday, unleaded regular gas in Alturas ranged from $2.95.9 to $2.97.9 per gallon; plus unleaded was $3.05.9 to $3.07.9; premium was $3.15.9 to $3.17.9 and diesel was $3,09.9 to $3.11.9.

The average price of gas in northern California is $2.84, with Redding showing $2.86 and the highest price, according to Triple A, was in South Lake Tahoe at $3.10.

According to the U.S. Energy Department's "seasonal outlook" the projection is that regular grade gas will be about $2.80 nationwide this summer. Gasoline costs have increased about 40 cents nationwide since a year ago. The federal agency says gas prices will vary region to region and state to state and expects some areas to hit $3.00 per gallon during the peak driving season.

In Modoc, several local residents are saying the cost of home heating fuel is creating severe hardships with the budgets. The cost of heating fuel here as of Tuesday was $2.49 for routed customers and $2.59 for others with a 100-gallon minimum. The fact that winter is not loosening its grip is creating more problems.

MHS Jazz Band could be history

The popular Modoc High School Jazz Band program could suffer a fate similar to Katrina's on New Orleans.
MHS Music instructor Jay Jones is faced with the requirement that he have 15 students sign up for the Jazz Band class. If not, school administrators will fill that slot with a different class and Jazz Band will be a fading memory.

Several parents and students have protested the cut of the program. Jones believes it's a valuable program for the music department and especially important for those students who are interested in advancing their abilities and understanding.

MHS Principal Don Demsher said he supports the Jazz Band program, but doesn't feel it can be continued unless there is enough student interest. He said he felt the 15-student minimum was reasonable. There has not been a minimum number of students required for the class in the past.

Demsher said the issue was not a predominately money or budget problem. He said the success or continuation of the program will depend largely upon whether Jones can attract enough advanced students for the class.

Several parents, including Linda Aarstad said the program is invaluable and gives serious music students chance to progress and learn. She said she felt Jones was an "excellent" music teacher.

Parent Robert Haggard said the Jazz Band program has been very beneficial and it's also popular with the public. He also felt Jones had improved the quality of the music program overall, and felt the Jazz Band has been a valuable asset for music students. He said he has been very impressed with the time spent, improvement, energy and talent of the music department.

Demsher said there are some issues surrounding the music department and the Jazz Band's future could well depend on whether Jones can attract the required number of qualified students.

Aarstad said she understands the need for sufficient students, and believes that the students should be able to meet the requirements and level of play at Jazz Band. She doesn't agree that setting an arbitrary number is a good idea.

"If we lose the Jazz Band, it will be especially detrimental to the serious music students," she said. "There may not be 15 students, but there are many who have signed up and who would benefit greatly from the program. Jazz Band is not for every student and it's demanding. Jones expects more from the Jazz Band members. There are times he can be tough. What's most important are the results and the concerts Mr. Jones puts on are incredible. No one can deny that."

Nationally, schools have been cutting programs in the arts and music areas, in order to meet testing requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. That does not appear to be the issue at Modoc High School.

Lions roll out Easter eggs, prizes for Saturday kids' event

The annual Easter Egg Hunt for all children on Saturday, April 15 starts at 1:00 p.m. sharp at Veterans' Park, South Main Street, Alturas. No matter what the weather, the "hunt" is always held.

The Alturas Lions Club sponsors the event and Chairperson Pat Schluter recommends families arrive early to find their child's age-designated location. Lawn signs will help adults and children locate the five, designated age-category areas for the hunt.

Children ages one to 10 years old should bring a basket to join in the hunt. Dozens of colored eggs will be scattered across the lawns, along with 300 plastic eggs filled with candy. Three prize baskets will also be given in each age group.

A dedicated group of Lions Club members will start their Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. at Kelley Hot Springs where they will boil the eggs, then color them in large tubs. The eggs cool as they are transported back to Alturas at noon.

The Leos Youth Club (teen) members will help with crowd control and place the eggs on the park lawns, which takes about an hour.

It doesn't take the young participants long to scoop up the eggs. Seven years ago, the Lions clocked the event as taking one minute and 10 seconds.

Several years ago, the Lions Club members moved the Egg Hunt project from Sunday to Saturday. This allows Lions to celebrate Easter with their own families and also does not conflict with local family celebrations and church services.

Tenor, baritone home to give concert

A special concert Wednesday, April 19, at 7 p.m. at the Niles Theater in Alturas, will be An unforgettable evening of beautiful music, humor and vocal fireworks on Wednesday, April 19 at 7 p.m. at the Niles Theater in Alturas will feature native sons Jeran Micheal Brown, baritone, and Zachary Stains, tenor, with piano accompanist Melissa Johnson from the Nevada Opera in Cantiamo, Opera's Greatest Arias and Duets!
Timeless works of music will be performed from operas by Puccini, Verdi, Bizet, Mozart, Handel, Gilbert & Sullivan and American composers in duets and melodic solos.

Stains, who has been described by the New Yorker, as "A commanding tenor with charm to burn," will travel from his residence in New York, where his 2006 engagements include lead tenor roles in several operas in the U.S. and Italy, with the Virginia Opera, the Green Mountain Opera Festival in Vermont and the lead tenor role of Telamonte in Vivaldi's Hercules in Spoleto, Italy. Handel's Radamisto CD, released in November 2005 on Virgin Classics, features Stains and has won several important awards including the London Times Classical Music CD of the week, and is an Editor's Pick in the March 2006 edition of Opera News.

"Zak" as he is known to family and friends, was born in Alturas to Valerie and Rody Stains and has many relatives in Alturas. "I'm truly excited to finally have this opportunity to sing for my hometown and also to sing with the extremely talented Jeran Michael Brown," says Stains.

Zak attended schools in Seattle, Washington. He studied for three years with bass-baritone John Shirley-Quirk at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, where he received his Bachelor of Music degree and was accepted into the graduate program of the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. A month after meeting eminent musicologist and conductor Alan Curtis in Massachusetts, Mr. Curtis offered Zak the first of several opportunities to sing in Italy and further contracts. He has moved several times and lived in Nashville, Tennessee where he was involved with Nashville Opera; Washington, D.C. where he worked as Assistant to the Director of the National Music Center and Museum Foundation; and more recently to Brooklyn, NY, where he is studying voice with Steven Smith, a faculty member at Julliard School in Manhattan.

Brown will arrive from Fresno, where he is a full-time student at Fresno City College and is active with Fresno Grand Opera. This May, Jeran will sing in Guiseppe Verdi's Otello. He is the son of Teri and Steve Brown of Alturas and a graduate of Modoc High and was involved with Modoc Performing Arts Theater productions while growing up in Alturas. While attending CSU at Humboldt, he studied Vocal Performing Arts.

A reception for ticket holders will follow the performance at the Alturas Elks Lodge. The event is being produced by the Brown family and the Stains family of Alturas.

Tickets are $10 each at the door or in advance from Modoc Farm Supply, Modoc County Record, Antonio's, Main Street Coffee, Hair Dimensions, Country Hearth in Cedarville, Warner Mt. Realty, Top Hat Video.

Obituaries:

Homer Shelby Ward

Long-time Alturas resident Homer Shelby Ward, 72, passed away April 6, 2006 in Alturas, CA., his home for over 47 years. He was born in Almyra, Arkansas on April 10, 1933 and married the former Betty Young on January 27, 1952 in DeWitt, Arkansas. The two have shared 54 years of marriage. They had been married for just a few years, when Homer served with the U.S. Army. He was discharged after two years, as a Corporal on May of 1955, during the Korean War.

He was a professional truck driver for many years, both with local companies and long haul companies. For a time he was owner and operator of his own big rig. After he retired from trucking, he enjoyed spending time fishing.

He is survived by his wife Betty of Alturas, CA; son Richard Ward of Alturas, CA; son Kenneth Ward of Tulare, CA; daughter Lynda Colesworthy, Conrad, Montana; son Dennis Ward, Alturas, CA; sister Iva Jane Maier, DeWitt, Arkansas; Brother and sister-in-law Steven and Sondra Young, Visalia, CA; brother and sister-in-law Don and Beverly Young, Alturas, CA; sister and brother-in-law Vicki and Dave Smith, Alturas, CA; brother-in-law Alfard Johnson, Alturas; 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Memorial service was held at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas, CA on April 12 at 2 p.m. with Pastor Clint Pittman.

Ruth Earlene Conklin

Services for Ruth Earlene Conklin were held Wednesday, April 12 at 2 p.m. at the Alturas Baptist Church. Pastor Curtis Barber officiated.

Mrs. Conklin, 67, passed away peacefully, at Washoe Medical Center, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Reno, NV on April 4, 2006, due to her heart condition.

Ruth was born in Lake City, CA to Earl and Francis Ruth Vernon (Bachtel) on January 10, 1939. She was reared in Surprise Valley and helped her parents on their dairy farms. She graduated from Surprise Valley Union High School on June 5, 1958 and married Willard E. Conklin, son of Wilson E. and Lucille (Chase) Conklin on November 15, 1958. They had three sons Elzie, Curtis and Willard.

Ruth loved to go camping, fishing and rock hounding. She also loved to crochet, embroider, and do latch hook rug art. She loved taking walks with her sons while she was able to get around.

Ruth loved her little and big dogs. She said goodnight and good morning to her eldest son's snakes, birds and oversized lizards. Ruth was a great homemaker, mother and friend. She loved to keep a neat and tidy house. She was close to her wonderful sister Nelda Robinson and Nelda's husband Mark Robinson of Klamath Falls, OR.

"Ruth was a great mother. She loved her rose bushes. She was also a great friend," describes her husband. She will be dearly missed by her family and many friends.

She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Willard Conklin of Alturas; son Elzie Conklin of Alturas; sister Nelda and brother-in-law Mark Robinson of Klamath Falls, OR.; sister-in-law Lola Rogers of Modesto, nieces Teresa and Paula; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Wilma and Robert Andrews of Alturas; niece Kathy Brown, Alturas; nephew Bob Andrews, San Francisco.

Ruth was preceded in death by her sister Mable (Vernon) Clark of Lake City, CA; her brother E.E. "Sarge" Vernon and her two sons, Willard E. Conklin and Curtis Willard Conklin.

Memorial donations may be directed to the American Heart Association, Diabetes Foundation or to Washoe Medical Center, Reno, NV.

John Anthony Vasko

A memorial service for John Anthony Vasko "Johnny Chop" will be held May 6 at 1 p.m. at The Firehouse in Felton, CA. John was the grandson of Tony and Nancy Vasko who owned the Golden Rule Store in Alturas. The Vasko Family moved to Alturas from Tulelake in 1951.

Johnny's journey began in Roseville, CA when he was born on May 3, 1971. He went to school in Ripon and Modesto, graduating from Davis High in 1990. His love for all things with wheels took him from unicycles to VW's to custom Hot Rods. Surfing and custom rods ruled his time. He found his true calling fabricating custom motorcycles. His unique talent earned him a place among the nation's top custom bike builders. He passed away March 28, 2006.

Johnny's family includes his mother and father Barbara and Mark Vasko of Oakdale, CA; sister and brother-in-law Suzie and Reid Miller, favorite niece Izabell Johnnylu Miller, also of Rough and Ready, CA.; His Texas family, the Bob Densmores and his Oakley family the John Densmores; his dear, special friend Andrea Bradshaw of Jacksonville, FL.; grandmother Nancy Bell of Reno, NV, grandparents Bob and Jeanne Densmore of Ripon. Remembrances may be made to HOME, 1100 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304. This is a home away from home for critically ill patients and families at Stanford University Hospital.

Wanda Dunn

Wanda Dunn, 76, of Cedarville, CA. passed away April 11, 2006 at Surprise Valley Hospital, Cedarville, CA. She was born November 19, 1929 and was a member of the Paiute Indian Tribe. Kerr Mortuary in Alturas has charge of arrangements, which are pending at this time.

Barbara McNeeley

Barbara McNeeley, 71, of Alturas, passed away April 11, 2006 at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA. She was born November 9, 1934 in Des Moines, Iowa. Her daughter is Rebecca Ruiz of Alturas. A memorial service is pending. Kerr Mortuary has charge of arrangements

Sports

Braves beat Trinity, lose to Etna

Modoc's Braves lost a doublebill to Etna April 5, but turned around on April 7 and beat Trinity in a pair.

They lost to a solid Etna squad there 11-0 and 12-3 and beat Trinity 7-2 and 2-0, in a game played at Fall River because Modoc's fields were still under water.

In the second game, the game was scoreless through two and tied at 3-3 in the third. Etna went up 4-3 in the fourth and added a seven-run fourth to take an 11-3 lead. They added one in the sixth.

Tim Cruse got the loss for the Braves. He went four and a third innings, allowing 12 hits, fanned one and walked a pair.

Bill Hammerness led the Braves hitting, going two-for-three with a homerun. The Braves collected eight hits in the game.

"We did a much better job swinging the bats this game," said coach Tim MacDonnell. "The boys are starting to get more comfortable at the plate. Our boys played pretty well, we just have to find a way to stop the big inning, and we also had a lot of scoring opportunities that we just couldn't take advantage of."

In the first Etna game, Modoc was shut out 11-0. Etna scored eight in the third, one in the fourth and two in the fifth. Jesse Harer got the loss. He allowed seven hits, walked five and struck out four.

Harer tossed a no-hit shutout against Trinity in the first game. He walked four and struck out 10 Wolves. The Braves scored two in the second for the 2-0 win. Harer, Hammerness, Michael Gaskey, Jesse Cuevas and Cruse each had a hit.

"Harer did a great job getting ahead of the hitters all day," MacDonnell said. "I was extremely proud of his poise and presence on the mound."

Modoc won the second Trinity game 7-2 with Cruse notching the win. He allowed two hits, struck out five and walked one, Cuevas was three-for-four at the plate, Jered Cox was two-for-three and Mason was two-for-four.
Modoc played at Lost River April 12 and goes to Weed April 18.

Modoc leads SCL golf loop

Modoc's Braves hold the lead in the Shasta Cascade League golf loop with a 17-1 record after four of the six weeks. Weed is in second place at 15-1 and Mt. Shasta takes up third at 12-6.

The Braves next match is today at Mt. Shasta Resort against Bishop Quinn and Burney. Bishop Quinn has yet to win a match and Burney is 4-11-1.

Modoc went 6-0 on the Fall River Golf Course April 6, shooting 216 on the front nine and 217 on the back. Because of the poor weather conditions, the entire league played on the same course the same day.

Modoc's scores at Fall River were as follows: Micah Eppler 77, Brian Weed 81, Jeff Solomon 91, Josue Madrigal 92, Keith Montague 98 and Daniel Morgan 92. Team scores were: Modoc 433, Mt. Shasta 463, Trinity 583 and Fall River 642.

Braves split in softball action

Modoc Braves split in softball action last week, losing to Etna and beating Trinity.

The Braves lost to Etna 2-1 in the first game and 1-0 in the second contest. Megan Thompson got the losses on the mound. Thompson had three hits in game one and Emily Conner went 2-3 in the second game.

Conner got the win against a weak Trinity team. The Braves won game one 12-2 and the second game 11-1. Leading hitters for the day were Sarah Catania 4-4, Jennifer Joyce 3-4, Alysha Northrup 3-4 and Thompson 4-4.

April 20th, 2006

News

Absentee ballots available May 8

Absentee ballot applications should be available May 8 for the June 6 election. Many Modoc voters are now voting permanent absentee and several precincts vote by mail only.

Those mail precincts are: Fort Bidwell, Lake City, Eagleville, Stateline-Willow Ranch, Davis Creek, Parker Creek, South Fork, Canby, Adin, Lookout, Little Hot Springs (Day). Voters will go to the polls in Cedarville, in Alturas A, B, C and D, North Fork, Hot Spring, Cal Pines and Newell.

The final day to register to vote for the June 6 Primary Election is May 22. That's also the final day to make registration changes. One of the major areas needing attention is voters' addresses matching up with their current registration. If someone has moved or had a name change, he needs to make the voter registration change.

Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison said it's very important for people to make those changes so that they insure they'll receive their state information pamphlet as well as a sample ballot.

People can make changes at the County Clerk's Office. For more information call 233-6201.
Candidates are in the midst of campaigns, with rhetoric building. The Record will be sending questions to candidates in the next three weeks, and publishing their responses on a week-to-week basis, beginning the first part of May. The Record will publish responses from separate races each week.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and Susanville attorney Gary Woolverton, are in the race for District Attorney.

Undersheriff Mark Gentry and recently retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter are waging the battle for Sheriff/Coroner.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Incumbent Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw is facing a challenge from Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator.

The race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council includes incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass and challengers Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

Auditor Judi Stevens and Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch are unopposed as is City Treasurer Kathie Alves.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against incumbent County Supervisor in District 5, David Bradshaw, of Big Valley. District One's Dan Macsay is unopposed for a second term.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues will require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Pair of major court cases moved to August

The unlawful sexual contact trial of Modoc County Supervisor Ray Anklin and a homicide trial of David Brunnemer have been moved to August, according to the Modoc District Attorney's Office.

Anklin is accused of having sex with a 17-year old girl, when he was age 25, last summer.

The case includes three counts of unlawful sexual contact with a minor, providing alcohol to a minor and burglary to a residence. The last accusation is that Anklin entered a home with the intent to commit a crime (the sexual contact with a minor).

Anklin has pled not guilty to the charges. That trial is set for August 15, with a trial management conference July 24.

Brunnemer, age 53, of Malin, Or., is accused of homicide in the death of an infant in 1979. He has entered a not guilty plea in the case. A trial management conference is set for July 31 with the trial in August.
Alturas Police Officers arrested Brunnemer, June 10, 2005 alleging murder in the death of infant David Dickson, which occurred November, 1979, in Alturas.

In 1979, it was determined after autopsy to be a possible SIDs death, but the current investigation ruled that out. The cause of death is now determined to be blunt force trauma. The coroner case had originally been handled by the Modoc County Sheriff/Coroner's Office. The baby had been at the Brunnemer's home for childcare.

Modoc District Attorney Jordan Funk has stated the Modoc County Sheriff's Department failed to investigate the case thoroughly in 1979, then eight years ago and again a year ago. When the case was turned over to the Alturas Police Department, the new information that had been provided by a witness was verified and the autopsy record re-examined.

City annexation of mill site done

The City of Alturas' annexation of the mill property on West Fourth Street was completed through the Modoc LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission) process on August 25, 2005.

Contrary to rumors circulating around Alturas last week, the files for that annexation were not misplaced or lost. They have always been in the hands of LAFCO's Amy Mickelson-Beauchane, the Executive Officer of the Commission.

This week, she said the first filing had a paperwork issue, which is not uncommon, and the filing will be completed within the week. The annexation is filed with the County Recorder and then with the State Board of Equalization for tax purposes.

In addition, a ridiculous separate rumor saying the city never purchased the mill property surfaced. City Treasurer Kathie Alves just chuckled when she heard about that rumor. The deed is in the City's safe.
The rumors centered around the National Power Plant project, which is proposed for the mill property.
National Power is proposing to construct a 20-40 megawatt biomass power plant on city-owned property north of the existing structures at the mill site, near the Alturas airport. The project also includes a small log sawmill.

Once the 20-year power contract with Sierra Pacific is in place, National will start a full Environmental Impact Report on the project and file all the necessary applications with the local planning department. The EIR process will include the required and necessary public scoping meetings and hearings.

The City and County have been working on this power plant project in a joint effort for well more than a year.
The entire project is expected to create more than 100 new jobs in Modoc County, from actual plant workers to the logging and trucking industries.

The small log sawmill is an integral part of the project. In most cases, he said, the power plants were used to generate electricity to run the sawmills. In this case, the sawmill will be the main supplier of fuel for the power plant, and the electricity will be sold to Sierra Pacific. The value of the plant is expected to be above $50 million.

The plant is projected to need about 150,000 tons of fuel per year, but will be operating more efficiently than existing biomass plants and it must meet California emission standards. National Power states the plant will use one-third less fuel to produce the same amount of electricity as existing biomass plants.

National hopes the first draft of the EIR can been finished by the end of this year and all the permitting and land use issues settled and in place by the end of 2007. Construction could start in 2008 with the plant possibly coming on line in 2010.

National Power describes itself as an owner and operator of environmentally sensitive electric generating facilities, which has existing facilities in Australia and United States. The company was founded in 1991 and is privately owned.

The site for the proposed power plant is on 103 acres of city-owned property at the mill site adjacent to the airport.

National Power projects include the Big Valley Mill power plant, which is up and running. That plant had been closed and shut down when Big Valley Lumber Mill was sold and dismantled, but the power plant remained intact.

Economic vitality plan subject of workshop

The draft Modoc Economic Vitality Plan will be the subject of a community workshop April 24, 8 a.m. at the Veteran's Memorial Hall in Alturas. The workshop is open to the public.

The plan is the brainchild of the Modoc Economic Vitality group, which states, in part that: "Growth be orderly, beneficial and complementary to the existing communities, citizens and natural resources of the county that the health, diversity and productivity of public lands are sustained to meet the needs of present and future generations by utilizing natural resources to provide economic benefits to the community that education systems foster our youth and encourage life-long learning citizens are able to enjoy the small town qualities of friendliness, community pride, quality health care, cultural enrichment, nurtured youth and civic involvement that regulatory and economic environments are open and inviting to business an job creation."

The Modoc Economic Development Corporation, MEDC, is the designated lead in the economic development field, but cannot be the only "economic force" in the community, the plan contends.

The theory is to foster more collaboration of local and regional organizations, city and county government and local, state and federal agencies in support of economic development.

Some of the goals are to improve the communication and cooperation between the county's Chambers of Commerce and continue to develop strategies to support tourism and development.

The plan suggests hiring an economic development/grant writer to serve as the point person for economic development and support an environment that encourages business development in "entrepreneurial optimism" in the county. It also suggests the promotion and support of local retail and services businesses to decrease retail leakage. Part of the plan is providing increased customer service training to businesses and their employees.

The plan also calls for more information on the recreational possibilities of Modoc County, and the overall improvement of the visual appearance of the communities. One of the suggestions is a community "clean-up" program.

The plan also emphasizes the need for more marketing of the county's positive elements, including the lowest power rates and real estate prices in the state. Revitalizing communities to make them more attractive to investors is also a key.

The plan also encourages the improvement of health care in the county, as well as enhanced services to provide for the health welfare and social needs of senior citizens.

"The goals are proposed to help provide direction for an expanded economic development program in Modoc County," the plans states. "It is understood that many of these goals may take five years or longer to realize. In some cases, efforts to realize certain goals are never actually ‘completed' because these efforts entail such on-going tasks as the provision of support services or the continued maintenance of valuable community resources."

Obituaries:

Barbara L. McNeeley

A Memorial Service for Barbara Louise McNeeley, 71, of Alturas, will be held today, April 20 at 1 p.m. at Faith Baptist Church in Alturas. Pastor Rod Bodmer will officiate.

Mrs. McNeeley passed away April 11, 2006 at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA. She was born Barbara

Louise Scoles on November 9, 1934 in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

She was a homemaker who loved to crochet and care for her animals. Barbara was also an avid reader. For the past 25 years, she had lived in Modoc County, near two of her children.

She was preceded in death by her son Larry Stafford of Alturas on September 14, 2003. She is survived by her son Bob Stafford, address unavailable; daughter

Rebecca Stafford Ruiz of Alturas, CA; daughter Jennifer Rosen of California; sons Danny Rosen and David Rosen of Idaho and daughter Melissa Meng (Lahr) of California; and one brother in Illinois. She also has many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as close family friends in Alturas and Illinois.
Memorial donations may be directed to Faith Baptist Church.

Roland Lindahl

Roland Lindahl, a resident of Modoc County for the past 25 years, passed away April 16, 2006, at Modoc Medical Center Skilled Nursing Facility, Alturas, CA. He was born in Nebraska on November 8, 1917 and reared there. As a youth, he and his family worked their way from Nebraska to California, laboring as fruit and crop pickers.

Mr. Lindahl later owned and operated a sheet metal business in Los Alamitos, CA, before retiring and relocating to Modoc County.

He and Beverly Jean Hansen were married on December 16, 1972 in Las Vegas, NV.

In addition to his wife in Alturas, he is survived by his daughters Paula Lindahl of Tennessee and Christine Whittle of Las Vegas, NV; granddaughters Varina Whittle of Hawaii and Talia Whittle of Las Vegas; stepsons Scott and Todd Foster of Colorado; sister Lillian Lattin of Grand Island, Nebraska.

Services will be private. Memorial donations may be directed to the Alzheimer's Society of Northern California, P.O. Box 1824, Sacramento CA 95812.

Sports

Braves beat Lost River 10-8

Modoc's Braves beat the Lost River Raiders, 10-8, April 12 there, collecting nine hits in the game. The will play Fall River at Fall River April 21.

Modoc opened with a 1-0 lead against Lost River, and took a 7-1 lead in the third. They got up 9-1 in the fourth, but Lost River scored five in the fifth and added two in the sixth. Modoc added an insurance run in the sixth. Trenton Schmidt got the win for Modoc, going three innings, allowing two hits walking one and striking out four. Jered Cox came in relied and tossed three innings, giving up seven runs on five hits and four walks. He fanned a pair. Leading hitters for the Braves were Jesse Cuevas 2-for-4 and Jesse Harer 2-for-5. Harer and Brandon Anderson each hit a home run for Modoc.

Modoc coach Tim MacDonnell said the team hit the ball really well and he feels the team is getting better with each game. He was pleased with Schmidt's pitching and the overall play of team.

Modoc lost a pair of games to Weed April 18, 9-0 and 8-6. Modoc collected just four hits in the first game, and 14 batters struck out. In the second game, Modoc hit the ball better, getting 14 hits. More details on both games next week.

Braves beat Weed

Modoc's Braves beat the winless Weed Cougars, 15-1 and 10-2, April 18 with Megan Thompson getting the win in each game.

Leading hitters were: Alysha Northrup 4-4, Thompson 3-4, Emily Conner 3-4 and Amy Cruse 3-3.
The Braves had three starters out for spring break and well as a couple on the injured list.

Modoc, Weed will battle for golf lead

Modoc and Weed will square off at Arrowhead Golf Course April 27 for the probable Shasta Cascade League championship. Modoc is in first by one and a half matches, with two matches to play, and both against Weed.
The Braves went 4-0 on April 13 at the Mt. Shasta Resort, shooting 208 and 200 on the front and back nines.
Modoc's individual scores on the par 70 course were as follows: Micah Eppler 73, Brian Weed 75, Jeff Solomon 85, Josue Madrigal 84, Daniel Morgan 93 and Taylor Dunn 94. Team scores were: Modoc 208-200 (408), Mt. Shasta 217-214 (431), and Weed 235-214 (449). Bishop Quinn did not field a full team.

Eppler and Weed finished 1-2 at the event, and Solomon and Madrigal were in the top 10,
The Braves compete April 21 at the Running Y in Klamath Falls in a tournament hosted by Henley High School.
League standings as of this week are: Modoc 21-1, Weed 15-2-1, Mt. Shasta 13-6-1, Trinity 8-14, Burney 5-14-1, Fall River 4-15-1 and Bishop Quinn 0-20.

Hunter Safety classes repeated

A repeat series of the Hunter Safety classes will be offered starting on Monday, May 1 and continue on Wednesday, May 3 and Thursday, May 4 at 6 p.m. each night at the Alturas Elks Lodge, 619 North Main St., Alturas. The class is being sponsored by the Alturas Elks Lodge 1756, for anyone who plans to obtain a hunting license.

Participants must attend all three nights to receive credit for the course, which is required for obtaining a California hunting license.

California Hunter Safety Training materials are certified by the Department of Fish and Game, State of California. A donation of $3 will be accepted to help cover the cost of course materials.

Minors will have a permission certificate which needs to be signed by a parental/legal guardian, prior to the minor's participation in the course. The form allows the Hunter Safety Training Instructors to furnish a firearm to the minor for the purpose of instructing him in the safe handling of firearms and safe shooting.

Hunter Safety materials, booklets and consent forms should be picked up in advance from Belligerent Duck and Sports Hut in Alturas or the first night of classes at the Alturas Elks Lodge. Anyone up to age 18 must have the form signed by the parent/guardian, prior to the start of the class. The class is taught by trained and certified volunteer instructors: Gary Bagnaschi, Phil Vermillion, Paul Bailey, Vern Seevers, Ron Prevette and Richard Wellemeyer.

April 27th, 2006

News

Forest reserve funding blues

The outcome of a recent meeting of the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition in Reno could have been better, in the view of several Modoc County officials.

The coalition seeks the reauthorization of the 2000 Secure Rural Schools and Communities Stabilization Act, which represents about $3 billion in needed funding for counties nationwide and nearly $3.5 million for Modoc.

The undersecretary of agriculture, Mark E. Rey attended the coalition's annual meeting, representing the Bush administration. Senator Larry Craig (R) of Idaho, who has championed the reauthorization, gave the keynote speech.

"What I heard (them say) was that there will probably be some sort of funding, but it may not be at the level we've been accustomed to," said Doug Squellati, superintendent of the Modoc School District.

"I think there'll be some money, but I think it will be less. What that amount will be, I don't know," said Modoc County supervisor, Mike Dunn, concurring.

"I think funding at 80 percent probably has a fair chance at passage," said Sean Curtis, chairman of the Modoc County RAC and Land Use Committee who is also a member of the coalition's board. "The further you go up from there the less likely that that will happen."

"That was the first time that anybody had heard that from anyone in a position of power," said Squellati, who was surprised at the change of view. "When I heard that, the realization came to me that this is very possible.
"Based on what's going on, it's going to be funded. But, it's probably going to be funded looking differently\ than what it is now. What that means, I have no idea at this point."

Squellati is concerned that even a small reduction will be hurtful. "I was a little disappointed because I'm concerned about us in Alturas and all the other rural communities that are dependent upon these funds to provide quality service to our communities and our students," he said. "It's really going to have an impact on the infrastructure. No matter what the reduction is, it's going to affect everybody."

According to Dunn, the presentation made at the coalition conference represents a change of position by leaders of the movement to reauthorize and in the Bush administration's position, and he is clearly dismayed. "These are the main supporters, movers and shakers of the thing six years ago. Now, they're calling it 'welfare,' or 'entitlement.'"

He noted that these same people who once spoke of the federal government's "obligation" to replace lost income to forested counties are now seemingly less supportive of the idea. "There seems to be a whole different attitude in regards to the funding that comes to the counties," said Dunn, woefully. "It is absolutely owed; it is a compact that the federal government made with the counties."

"The realistic side of me says that there will probably be funding but it may not be at the level that we're used to," said Squellati. "I don't know what that is. Right now, it's just a big question mark. Is it five percent less? Ten percent less? Twenty?

"But what I do know is that any less funding than what we are getting now is going to have an impact on … this county and every rural community that receives funding. Unless it's fully restored, it's going to impact everybody to some degree."

"We're looking at losing one third of our road department budget. … The county would be looking at potentially laying off road department employees, and, of course, road maintenance would slow way down," said Dunn. "I think our road department does a good job for the budget that they have and the manpower that they have. … They're going to be crippled if you take a third of that budget away from them."

Dunn recalled a bit of history that explains the current problem, pointing the finger of blame at politicians and coalition members who failed to work on solving the funding problem, as they promised. "This legislation, that was enacted six years ago, was a safety net to keep the counties afloat while they came up with a permanent fix. They knew the 25 percent timber receipts were not going to work any more; there is no timber industry left in this country. So, they knew at that time that this was a temporary fix; (they) put it place for six years to give them time to come up with a permanent solution for this."

But, that didn't happen, according to Dunn. "No one worked on that! They wanted to lay low. Now, we may end up reaping what they sowed."

Dunn also noted that the reasons given in the meeting for cutting or reducing the act's funding was the extreme cost of last year's hurricane season. "One of the big excuses down there was Katrina. We have all this terrible hurricane damage," said Dunn, laying out his logic. "Granted, but you don't have a compact with those folks. You do have a compact with the forested counties."

Exploring alternatives, Curtis offered, "Funding at … let's say 80 percent of what we're getting now, would fully fund roads and schools. It just wouldn't fund the RAC and the Title III projects."

Speaking of the seemingly unpopular idea, floated by the Bush administration, to fund this act by selling off portions of public land, Curtis laid out the coalition's reason for opposing that idea. "The board's had several lengthy discussions about whether we should become involved in either supporting or opposing a particular funding source or even whether we should get involved in trying to find a funding source. I think we came to the correct conclusion that that's really outside of our expertise. What we know is what will happen if it doesn't get reauthorized. That's our expertise, and we need to stay with that. That needs to be the message that we give to congress along with the fact that this is really important. Therefore, we ask congress to use its expertise to find the funding."

"I'm happy that the coalition is moving forward and fighting on behalf of our district," said Squellati, more optimistically. "There is going to be some more rallying in Washington, D.C. On the political action side, the coalition is really making some great efforts to put some pressure on congress to reauthorize this bill fully."
"We think it's important to try and get some teachers to go back … because they really have the firsthand story to tell from the impacts at the classroom level," said Curtis, who laid out schedule for a strong lobbying effort, including "four or five scheduled trips to Washington" between now and September, "strictly geared towards working the hill."

Smith withdraws from city race

Alturas City Councilman Jerry Smith has withdrawn from the June 6 election.

Smith and fellow councilman John Vass are up for re-election. Challengers are Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.
"The reasons are many, and will be detailed over the next few weeks," Smith said. "It is not because I have lost the drive to serve you. On the contrary, one of my deepest desires was to continue in service to you to improve our job and housing opportunities, transportation and infrastructure, and recreation and education services for our children."

Smith said up until two years ago, he felt the city was on the right track. "Now I believe the Council majority is putting the City in financial and possible legal peril," he said. "Most agendas (and votes) seem to be decided before meetings begin. Contracts are being negotiated without prior authorization from Council, and then being 'rubber stamped' as 'urgency' measures. Hiring decisions are being done in haste, with any consideration of alternatives."

Smith said he will make an effort to inform citizens of other questionable items and actions before the election.
"Please understand that I have been deeply honored by your choice of me to serve you the past four years," Smith said. "That is why I feel a moral obligation to let you know why I will not pursue my re-election. Please feel free to contact me at home of through City Hall."

Absentee ballots available May 8

Don't firget that Absentee ballot applications should be available May 8 for the June 6 election. A large number of Modoc voters are now voting permanent absentee and several precincts vote by mail only.
The final day to register to vote for the June 6 Primary Election is May 22. That's also the final day to make registration changes. One of the major areas needing attention is voters' addresses matching up with their current registration. If someone has moved or had a name change, he needs to make the voter registration change

Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison said it's very important for people to make those changes so that they insure they'll receive their state information pamphlet as well as a sample ballot. For more information call 233-6201.

A new development in the race for Alturas City Council, incumbent Jerry Smith has withdrawn from the race, That leaves incumbent John Vass, and two challengers, Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

Those mail precincts are: Fort Bidwell, Lake City, Eagleville, Stateline-Willow Ranch, Davis Creek, Parker Creek, South Fork, Canby, Adin, Lookout, Little Hot Springs (Day). Voters will go to the polls in Cedarville, in Alturas A, B, C and D, North Fork, Hot Spring, Cal Pines and Newell.

The Record will be sending questions to candidates in the next three weeks, and publishing their responses on a week-to-week basis, beginning the first part of May. The Record will publish responses from separate races each week. The first responses will be from the Sheriff's race on May 4 and the District Attroney race will be featured May 11.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and Susanville attorney Gary Woolverton, are in the race for District Attorney.

Undersheriff Mark Gentry and recently retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter are waging the battle for Sheriff/Coroner.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Incumbent Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw is facing a challenge from Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator. The

Auditor Judi Stevens and Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch are unopposed as is City Treasurer Kathie Alves.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against incumbent County Supervisor in District 5, David Bradshaw, of Big Valley. District One's Dan Macsay is unopposed for a second term.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues will require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Public comment meetings on BLM land plan set for late May, early June

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released for public review and comment draft resource management plans/environmental impact statements (RMP/EIS) for nearly three million acres of public land in northeast California and extreme northwest Nevada.

The plans affect lands managed by the BLM's Alturas, Eagle Lake and Surprise field offices in Alturas, Susanville and Cedarville. BLM Planning Team Leader Sue Noggles said the draft plans contain a range of management alternatives, including preferred alternatives for these lands. Each draft plan includes a draft EIS which analyzes the environmental effects of each planning alternative.

The BLM will accept public comments until July 27, 2006. Comments must be in writing and addressed to: Bureau of Land Management, 2950 Riverside Dr., Susanville, CA 96130, attention: Resource Management Plans. Comments may be submitted via email to necarmp@ca.blm.gov.

The draft plans have been mailed to requesters. Copies are also available at www.blm.gov/ca/pa/planning/landuseplanning.html. Printed or compact disc copies are also available by contacting the Alturas Field Office, (530) 233-4666; the Eagle Lake Field Office, (530) 257-0456; or the Surprise Field Office, (530) 279-6101.

The BLM will hold public meetings to enable anyone interested to get more information about the plans and to provide comments. Meetings will run from 7 to 9 p.m. in these locations:

Cedarville: Wednesday, May 31, BLM Surprise Field Office, 602 Cressler St.

Alturas: Thursday, June 1, BLM Alturas Field Office, 708 W. 12th St.

Fall River Mills: Tuesday, June 13, USFS Hat Creek Ranger District Office, 43225 Highway 299 East.

Dorris: Thursday, June 15, Dorris City Hall, 301 South Main St.

Comments will be considered as the BLM considers proposed final plans and final EIS documents for release later this year.

"We will incorporate all comments received into proposed plans and final EIS documents," Noggles said.

"We appreciate the input people have provided during the issue scoping stage of the planning process, and we look forward to continuing this working relationship as we work on development of the final plans."

When completed, the resource management plans will provide broad guidance for management of the public lands over the next 20 years. They address issues including vegetation management, livestock grazing, recreation, wildlife habitat, off-highway vehicle use, wild horse and burro management, energy and mineral development, fire and fuels, forestry, water quality and quantity, scenic values, cultural and historical resources and others.

The new plans will replace several older management plans.

For more information, contact BLM Public Affairs Officer Jeff Fontana at (530) 252-5332.

Obituaries:

James B. Maddox, III

Former Alturas resident James B. Maddox, III, age 28, passed away March 12, 2006 in Pinedale, Wyoming. A memorial service was held in the community of Lansing, Iowa, where he was well thought of as a member of the volunteer fire department there.

James attended schools in Alturas, CA from sixth grade through high school and graduated with Modoc High's Class of 1996. He was a member of MHS Football Team.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after high school graduation and was based in San Diego and Okinawa, Japan. He attained the rank of Corporal and received his discharge in 2000, after four years of service.

James was employed as a mechanic with the Dodge dealership in Pinedale, Wyoming, where he had lived for the past year. He is the father of two young sons. He is survived by his parents, James "Jim" Maddox, Jr. and Bobbie Maddox of Pinedale, Wyoming; and his two sons, Theron Wyatt, age 4, and Kellen James, age 2, both of Lansing, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been set up for his two sons, care of: James B. Maddox Memorial Fund, Kerndt Bros. Savings Bank, 370 Main Street, Lansing, Iowa 52151.

Jerome 'Toge' Young

Remembered as a "real cowboy and all around good man," Jerome Raymond "Toge" Young, 72, passed away at his home in Lakeview, OR on March 2, 2006.

Services were held at the First Presbyterian Church in Lakeview. Interment was at the family plot at Westside Cemetery in Lakeview. Ousley Osterman Huffstutter Funeral Chapel, Lakeview was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Young was born June 8, 1933 in Klamath Falls, OR to George E. and Phoebe Rachel (Coffer) Young. He was ninth of their 12 children. His family moved to Lakeview that same year from Bly, where his father was employed at a lumber mill. He lived most of his life in and around the Lakeview area.

He was a ranch hand, who worked for Jack Rice in Alturas for a good many years. Mr. Rice, now of Elko, NV. has nothing but praise for "Toge." He was also a timber faller and contract fence builder and in later years, devoted most of his time to his cattle.

In his younger years, he enjoyed participating in rodeo events in which he rode saddle, bareback broncos, bulls and did team roping.

He was a great hand with colts and enjoyed the cowboy life. His grandchildren were the true joy of his life and he always had one of them in the front seat of his truck when he did chores or went for a ride.
He was married twice, first to Nita Joy Walls in November 1961 in Reno. They had one child, Desin Cherane, and Nita brought two sons, Quirt and Quip Risley, from a previous marriage. The two were divorced in 1967.

His second marriage was to Barbara Boone of Klamath Falls. That marriage ended in divorce in 2005.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Desin and Derek Riley; stepsons Quirt and Quip Risley; grandchildren Quintin Riley and his special friend Raylene Cooley, Quest Riley and his special friend Amy Collman, Cherlane Young, and Kalsea, Kasea, Talon, Tanel, and Tashyn Risley; great-granddaughter, Keyla Marie Riley; sisters Bonnie Jelley, Loretta Simpson, and Carmen Wilson; brothers Bert and Melvin Young; and many nieces, nephews and lifelong friends.

He was preceded in death by brothers George, Charles, Chet, and Nate Young and isters Ell Young and Emma Huskey.

Memorial donations may be made to Lakeview Home Health and Hospice, 700 S. J St., Lakeview, OR 97630, or the charity of the donor's choice.

Service for 'Norman' Bettandorff

Family and friends of Charles "Norman" Bettandorff will gather Saturday, May 6 at 11 a.m. at the Ft. Bidwell Community Church in Ft. Bidwell, CA to honor his memory. Interment will follow at the Ft. Bidwell Cemetery. The Rev. Dr. Ben Zandstra will conduct the service. Mr. Bettandorff, who died November 21, 2005, in Reno, Nevada, grew up in Alturas and was a rancher in Surprise Valley for many years before becoming a Brand Inspector for the State of California.

Death Notice

Jerry Ellis Gardner

A memorial service for Jerry Ellis Gardner of Alturas, will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28 at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas. Mr. Gardner, 67, passed away April 25, 2006, in Alturas, CA. He had lived in the Canby and Alturas areas since 1965 and had retired from a career with the U.S. Forest Service. He was born in Westwood, CA August 17, 1938. Private burial will take place in Chester, CA. His obituary will follow in next week's Record.

Sports

Braves beat top-ranked Fall River

Modoc's Braves knocked off the Fall River Bulldogs 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader here last Friday, giving the Bulldogs their first Shasta Cascade League loss.

The Bulldogs won the second game 12-1. Modoc meets Bishop Quinn here Friday and travels to Burney May 1.
In the win, Modoc scored one run in the first, Fall River took a 2-1 lead in the third and Modoc scored two in the sixth for the win. Jared Cox drove in two of Modoc's runs and Tim Cruse added the third. Jesse Harer got the win for Modoc. Cox had a pair of hits in the game,

"I was very proud of the boys," said Tim MacDonnell. "Fall River was 11-1 overall and 8-0 in league coming in to play us."

The Braves fell victim to six walks in the first inning of the second game and the Bulldogs scored five runs. They added three in the second inning, one in the fourth and three in the fifth. Modoc scored one run in the game, a home run by Harer.

Cox got the loss for the Braves. He allowed eight runs, two hits, fanned two and walked three and hit three batters with a pitch. Travis Wood had two hits for Modoc.

"This game got away from us early," said MacDonnell. "We cannot afford to give up six free passes in the first inning. Overall, though, I'm extremely proud of the kids."

Weed beat Modoc twice April 18, 9-0 and 8-6. The Braves collected just four hits in the opening game while Braves' pitchers gave up a dozen to Weed.

Harer got the loss for the Braves. He went four and a third innings, allowed six runs, and eight hits. Weed's Moser fanned 14 Braves while giving up just three hits.

According to MacDonnell, the first Weed game was "by far" the worst offensive performance of the year. Of the 14 strikeouts, he said eight of them were on called third strikes.

MacDonnell was much happier with the Braves' performance in the second game. Modoc collected 14 hits in the nightcap. The Cougars led by three in the third, but Modoc tied it. Weed added five in the fourth and Modoc added two to trail 8-4. The Braves picked up two runs in the seventh.

Cruse got the loss for Modoc, going six innings, allowing 12 hits, eight runs and he struck out four. Justin Mason and Jared Cox went 3-for-4 at the plate, Jesse Cuevas was 2-for-4 and Garret Chapman was 2-for-3. Mason and Cox each had a pair of RBI. Mason, Cox, Chapman and Taylor Dunn each doubled.

Modoc shoots well at Henley invitational

Modoc's golf team played well in last weekend's Henley Tournament at the Running Y in Klamath Falls.
The team shot a collective 339 with the following individual scores: Micah Eppler, Brian Weed 81, Keith Montague 87, Josue Madrigal 90, and Matt Williams 97.

The team finished sixth, behind Pleasant Valley 306, Henley 311, Shasta 316, Central valley 318, Lakeview 327, Enterprise 338.

The top individual of the tourney was Blaine Corkill of Henley with a 71.

Modoc hosts Weed and Fall River at Arrowhead today and needs to win one of its two remaining matches with Weed to capture its sixth consecutive Shasta Cascade League title.

On May 1, the team travels to Chico to play in a tournament hosted by Pleasant Valley High School. The top 10 golfers in the SCL will meet in league play at Arrowhead May 2 to determine MVP and All-league honors. That match will start at 1 p.m.

Braves drop pair to Fall River

Modoc's softball team battled well defensively in the opening game against the league leading Fall River Bulldogs, but pitcher Shawna Truan tossed a solid game to beat them 2-0.

Truan faced 21 batters in seven innings, didn't allow a run, or walk and fanned 14 Braves. The game was tied at 0-0 though six and Fall River scored two in the top of the seventh for the win. Modoc pitchers allowed just six hits.

Fall River fully dominated the second game, collecting 17 hits and scoring 14 runs. The Braves scored one in the first and one in the sixth. Fall River scored one in the first, four in the second, three in the third, one in the fourth and fifth and four in the sixth. Modoc only had two hits in the game and nine batters struck out.

"Fall River is ranked sixth in the North Section and number 14 in state," said coach Keith Jacques. "Truan is the number two ranked pitcher in the state for strikeouts. We played extremely well in the first game and were tied at 0-0 until the top of the seventh. They scored and we just couldn't catch up with the pitching. They have been blowing teams out and we hung right with them. We were also missing some starters."
Modoc meets Bishop Quinn here Friday with the first game starting at 2 p.m.

May 4th, 2006

News

Late News: An arrest was made Wednesday in Redding in the 1992 murder case involving Betty Lou Parks, who was killed in Modoc at age 13. The California Department of Justice concluded its lengthy investigation. According to Modoc District Attorney Jordan Funk, because the accused was 17 years old when the crime was committed, his name cannot be released to the public. In cases where the charges are serious and an accused was nearly 18 at the time of his crime, it is not uncommon to ask the court to find the person "unfit" to be adjudicated as a minor. "I intend to file such a motion in this case. If the juvenile court grants my request, the accused will be prosecuted as an adult and his identity will no longer be confidential. Further information will be provided as circumstances warrant."

Baby's remains exhumed for investigation

On a bright, cool Tuesday morning, the Alturas cemetery crew of Ed Coronado and Johnnie Northrup began the grim process of digging up David Dickson's remains. The same crew had buried the baby boy 26 years ago.

The crew was respectful of the process, taking care not to damage the coffin as they removed the earth from around the small box. Once the body was removed from the grave, it was placed in the hands of a renowned forensic anthropologist who will try to unlock whatever evidence he can to more fully determine the cause of the boy's death.

David Brunnemer, age 53, of Malin, Or., has been charged with homicide in the death of Dickson. The baby was in child care at the Brunnemer's Alturas home at the time of his death in November, 1979. Brunnemer's trial is scheduled in August and he has pled not guilty.

Alturas Police arrested Brunnemer last June following new evidence in the case. An autopsy in 1979 listed the cause of death as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, but subsequent investigation has determined the death to have been from blunt force trauma.

Modoc District Attorney Jordan Funk has been critical of the Modoc Sheriff's Department handling of the case in 1979, and also when new evidence surfaced eight years ago and as recently as of one year ago.
When the Alturas Police Department took over the case last year, it determined there was enough evidence to request Funk file a homicide charge against Brunnemer.

County puts muzzle on Canine Country

It appears that Judy Ford's Canine Country may be nearing the end of its existence as an animal rescue center. The Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a 30-day period for her to "abate" the public nuisance of barking dogs.

According to Modoc County Planner Joe Hunter, Ford's property is zoned rural residential and that zoning does not permit dog kennels. Hunter said consistent complaints from neighbors prompted the county to require the action that may, in fact, close the facility. Supervisor Ray Anklin brought a tape recording from a Ford neighbor's home to the Board meeting Tuesday. The home was one-half mile from Ford's center, the windows were closed and at 11:30 p.m., the sound of the center's barking dogs was unnerving.

Canine Country has been the subject of board meetings in the past, and was allowed to continue operating under the conditions that the noise levels be lessened. According to Hunter, the issue of the barking dogs has not been solved. He said he understands the need for the facility and what Judy Ford does for animals. But, he said the zoning for her property does not allow kennels and her neighbors have a right to peace and quiet.
Ford may now appeal the decision to the Code Compliance Committee. Hunter is meeting with Ford this week and will be discussing her options with her.

Ford disagrees with the county's definition of her operation as a kennel. "I do not run a shelter," she said. "I run a half-way house. From 80 to 90 percent of the dogs we save are transferred to other humane societies where they have a much larger population base and therefore they get adopted. All of them get adopted. Last week alone, we transferred out 19 animals to the Oregon Humane Society in Portland, the Medford Humane Society and the Klamath Falls Humane Society."

According to Ford, in the past five years, her operation has saved at least 1, 000 animals from certain death. She said two-and-a-half years ago she promised to house no more than 15 dogs at Canine Country. She said she has kept that promise.

Hunter said the county understands the value and the need for the facility, but said it just is not permissible under the zone structure. Ford, he said, simply has too many dogs at one time and people who move into that area have a right to expect peace and quiet.

Ford said she is responding to a need in the community: too many dogs for the local population. And she takes a practical approach at the moment.

"There are two things I want to public to please try and do," she said. "First, please spay or neuter your animals. This is the key to the overpopulation we have here and secondly, please donate whatever you can to the High Plateau Humane Society. We need to build our shelter so the killing of at last five dogs per week, if not more, will stop. We have access to a well, we have the land, and we have almost $85,000, but we need a lot more."

Ford said she is a "very sad lady" at the moment, but won't give up on trying to protect the dogs.
Hunter said that while Canine Country may have to close its current level of operations, the county and the city will have to address the issue of stray and unwanted animals.

Candidates working hard in June 6 election

The local campaigns for the June 6 election are in full swing and absentee ballots should be available next week, said Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison.

The change in the ballot, which will remove the County Clerk position and replace it with the new combined position of Modoc County Clerk/Auditor/ Recorder has been made. The Board of Supervisors adopted a new ordinance last month combining the offices.

The remaining Modoc County Farm Bureau Candidates' Nights are as follows: for Assessor, District Attorney, Sheriff, Superintendent of Schools and District 5 Supervisor, the second will be May 4, 7 p.m. at the Adin Chamber of Commerce; and the third will be May 9, 6 p.m. at the Newell Elementary School.
The candidates will be given a five-minute opening statement and then will take written questions from the audience. They will also get a five-minute closing statement.

The Record has sent questions to candidates and in the next three weeks, will be publishing their responses on a week-to-week basis The first responses will be from the Sheriff's race this week and the District Attorney race will be featured May 11. The Superintendent of Schools race may also be featured May 11.

The final day to register to vote for the June 6 Primary Election is May 22. That's also the final day to make registration changes. One of the areas needing attention is voters' addresses matching up with their current registration. If someone has moved or had a name change, he needs to make the voter registration change
Madison said it's very important for people to make those changes so that they insure they'll receive their state information pamphlet as well as a sample ballot. For more information call 233-6201.

In the race for Alturas City Council, incumbent Jerry Smith has withdrawn from the race, that leaves incumbent John Vass, and two solid challengers, Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

Those mail precincts are: Fort Bidwell, Lake City, Eagleville, Stateline-Willow Ranch, Davis Creek, Parker Creek, South Fork, Canby, Adin, Lookout, Little Hot Springs (Day). Voters will go to the polls in Cedarville, in Alturas A, B, C and D, North Fork, Hot Spring, Cal Pines and Newell.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and Susanville/Redding attorney Gary Woolverton, are in the race for District Attorney.

Undersheriff Mark Gentry and recently retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter are running for Sheriff/Coroner.

CHP captures stolen Porsche driver

The California Highway Patrol arrested a man following an accident on County Road 58 at CR56 April 27, 12:17 p.m. Priot to the crash, he allegedly drove a stolen 1990 Porsche at speeds of up to 180 m.p.h.
The driver, Jayson M. Fraley, age 23, evaded capture for eight-and-a-half hours after he wrecked the Porsche. CHP officers with the use of the Canine unit captured him.

The CHP reports that Fraley was driving at a high rate of speed in an attempt to evade CHP officers. He lost control of the vehicle and the car ran into a ditch when he tried to turn from CR56 to CR58. He left the vehicle and fled on foot.

A Department of Motor Vehicles check found the Porsche was stolen. In addition, numerous stolen identification cards, credit cards and other property were located in the car. Fraley was booked into the Modoc County Jail on numerous felony and misdemeanor charges.

The CHP arrested Gloria Dee Felver, age 30, of Alturas, alleging driving under the influence following a single-vehicle accident May 1, 7:30 p.m. on CR56 at Dorris reservoir.

The CHP reports the Felver was northbound from Alturas to Dorris Reservoir at about 35 m.p.h. when a deer ran in front of her. She tried to miss the deer, and due to her intoxication, lost control of the 2003 Chevy. The car ran off the road, struck a fence and overturned. She was seatbelted and sustained minor injuries.

There were no injuries in a two-vehicle accident April 26, 4:30 p.m. on CR1 just north of Eagleville.
The CHP states that Sean Blom, age 31, Eagleville, was northbound in a 1996 Isuzu and was slowing to make a left turn. A 1993 Peterbilt, driven by Carl Brynin, age 33, Central Point, Or., was behind the Blom vehicle.

Blom failed to make sure it was safe to make the left turn and did not have working turn signals on his trailer. The big rig had started to pass on the left and saw Blom start to turn. He slammed on his brakes when the truck struck the rear of the Isuzu, causing moderate damage to both vehicles. No one was hurt, and Brynin left the scene without exchanging information and was caught several hours later.

No injuries were reported in an accident April 30, 9:45 a.m. on CR54 west of CR60. According to the CHP, Tera Alexander, age 37, Alturas, was driving a 2001 Hyundai westbound on CR54 and was unable to avoid a tree limb dropped in the road. Because of oncoming traffic and a downhill embankment, she was unable to avoid the branch.

Obituaries:

Jerry Ellis Gardner

A memorial service for Jerry Ellis Gardner of Alturas, was held at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28 at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas. Mr. Gardner, 67, passed away April 25, 2006, in Alturas, CA. Born August 17, 1938 in Westwood, Lassen County, CA., he was the son of Ellison Gerald and Beatrice Bernice Gardner. Jerry graduated from Chester High School in Chester, CA. in 1956. Later that year, he joined the U.S. Army and spent 13-plus months in Korea as a Personnel Specialist. Discharged in November 1958, he returned home and was employed by Collins Pine Company for a short time. Jerry then began a career with the U.S. Forest Service which lasted 27 years, mostly in Fire Suppression. Jerry came to Modoc County in 1965 and has been a resident since that time, first residing in Canby and then in Alturas. He was an avid fisherman and loved to dance.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, and brother Robert Dean Gardner and one daughter Charissa Louise in 1960.

He is survived by four daughters: Bonnie Gardner of Shasta Lake City, CA; Beverly Allison of Kent, Washington; Alisha Grijalva of Alturas, Ca and Amber Gardner of Redding, CA; three grandsons Aaron and Andrew Gardner, Michael Grijalva and granddaughter Kendra Hopkins. Private burial will be in Chester, CA.

Floyd "Smokey" Dowell

Graveside services were conducted for Floyd Dowell, 80, of Bieber, CA on Wednesday, May 3, 2006 at the Foothill Cemetery in Nubieber at 1 p.m. A memorial potluck and service followed at the Bieber Memorial Hall. The Rev. Jeff Bidwell of Grace Bible Church, Bieber conducted the service.

Mr. Dowell passed away of natural causes on April 26, 2006 at Mayers Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills, CA. He was born on September 27, 1925, in Pomona, CA and moved to Bieber in 1954.

He was a veteran of World War II in the United States Marine Corps and a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, serving in Okinawa, Saipan, Tenyan, and Hiroshima.

Floyd was a warden for the California Department of Fish and Game from 1950 until 1980. From 1980 until 1992, he sold firewood as well as operated the Big Valley Nursery with his wife Ethel which they owned and managed together for 44 years. Floyd was also employed by Big Valley Lumber Co. from 1992 until 1996.

Floyd was very active in the Big Valley community, donating a large amount of his time helping others. Floyd was a photographer for school graduations, individual portraits, events, and once even for a design and for a potential patent in the late 1950s. He was a member of the Big Valley Fire Department Ambulance and Rescue crew in the 1960s and 70s. He was a member of the Big Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Pit River Rod and Gun Club and helped sponsor and teach hunter safety courses for Big Valley residents. Floyd was a board member for the Big Valley Joint Unified School District from 1970 to 1976. He was an ROP instructor for the Big Valley High School from 1976 to 1978 for the Wildlife and Soil Science fields. He was an honorary member of Big Valley and Pomona Chapters of the Future Farmers of America; a Bieber 4-H Club leader and project leader for vegetable gardening, wildlife, sheep and entomology fields. He served on the Fish and Game Commission Board of Directors from 1985 to 1989. Floyd was a board member for the Lassen County Water and Sewer District. He was the coach for the Bieber Farm team and Little League in the 1970s. He also had a long history of well dowsing in the Big Valley area, locating over 300 drilling sites in his lifetime.
Floyd is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ethel Dowell of Bieber; son Daniel Dowell of Sacramento; son Kurt Dowell of Bieber; son Kerry Dowell of Bieber; daughter Cheryl Harris of New Palestine, Indiana; grandchildren Bret Horsley, Jeffery Dowell, Thomas Dowell, Alyson Dowell of Sacramento, Jennifer Dowell, Victor Dowell, Matthew Dowell, Karli Dowell, Evan Dowell of Bieber, Waylon Dowell of Reno, NV. and five great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Pit River Rod and Gun Club (contact: Hellen Wolters, P.O. Box 65, Adin, CA 96006) or Bieber Museum c/o Big Valley Historical Museum, P.O. Box 463, Bieber, CA 96009. McDonald's Burney Chapel was in charge of arrangements.

Andrew Jackson Pearce

Andrew Jackson Pearce passed away on April 30, 2006 at the Surprise Valley Long-Term Care Facility in Cedarville, CA, after a long and painful battle with Parkinson's Disease. He was one month shy of 74. Andy was born May 26, 1932 in Pleasant Plains, Arkansas.

He served in the United States Navy during the Korean War. After his discharge he owned and operated two barber shops in Long Beach, CA until arthritis began attacking his shoulders. He then went to work for the City of Long Beach at the Alamitos Bay Marina. While working there, he received his AA degree in Police Service. Andy transferred to the Harbor Patrol for the Port of Long Beach. Eventually he became a Wharfinger for the Port and retired in 1988 as Assistant Chief Wharfinger.

Andrew is survived by his wife of 52 years, Lois Pearce of Cedarville; his son, Marcus Drew Pearce and daughter-in-law Tracey of Cedarville, CA; his four granddaughters Amber Kovich, Cara Pearce, Jaynie DeKruyf and Victoria Cochran-Pearce; and two grandsons-in-law Richard DeKruyf and Jason Kovich; four great-grandchildren Jacob, Jordan, Jaxson and Austin. He is also survived by six sisters, Mary Hanson of Love's Park, Illinois; Ann Lawson of Battle Creek, Michigan; Betty Cornelison and husband Frank of Portland, OR; Hester Johnson, Lutie Livingston and husband Walt, Faye Wells and husband Doyle, all of Bradford, Arkansas, plus numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Joanna Pearce, his parents George Henry II and Pearl Pearce, his brother George Henry III and wife Waneva, his sister Marge House and husband Sherman.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to either Surprise Valley Health Care District, P.O. Box 246 Cedarville, CA 96104 or Surprise Valley Community Church, P.O. Box 187, Cedarville, CA 96104 in remembrance of Andy.

Joseph John Bohdan

Joseph John Bohdan died of natural causes on April 28, 2006, at the Sponseller Ranch in Alturas, CA, while working cattle with his family. He was 64 years old.

Joe was born June 17, 1941 in St. Paul, Minnesota to Joseph Cyprian Bohdan, Sr. and Doris Schreiber Bohdan. He attended high school in Stillwater, Minnesota, then joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was stationed as Camp Pendleton, CA. and served during the Vietnam War.

After his tour of duty, he stayed in Santa Barbara for several years, and then moved to Tuolumne County where he lived for about 10 years, managing the Double C Ranch and framing houses. He then spent about eight years in Plumas County where his daughter Dylan was born and then moved to the Madeline Plains and Alturas areas, where he spent the next 13 years.

Joe had a lifetime worth of construction experience and was well regarded for his exceptional framing abilities. Working in California, Nevada, Arizona and Washington.

He was a proud member of the Sierra Pony Express Riders and a former member of the Tuolomne County Sheriff's Posse. Joe enjoyed people and would travel many miles to help friends in need. Wherever he went he seemed to run into someone whom he'd known from years before. He knew no strangers.
Joe was a wonderful, caring father to his daughter Dylan whom he loved with all his heart.

His passions were old cars, hunting, branding calves and cutting firewood.

He is survived by his daughter Dylan Bohdan Sponseller, her mother and best friend, Dyan Sponseller of Alturas; daughter Dorthy Bohdan of Santa Barbara; brother James Bohdan and sister Elizabeth Bohdan, both of St. Paul, MN; a sister Doris Urbanski of Chaska, MN, a sister Judy Hirdler of Becker, MN; his beloved niece Denise (Bohdan) Henderson of Groveland, CA; nephews Sean and Kevin Bohdan of St. Paul, MN, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at "Repin' for the Lord" Church, 316 West Eighth St., Alturas, CA on May 13, at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to "Repin' for the Lord Ministries" c/o Destry and Shirley Campbell, Box 985, Alturas, CA 96101.

Joe was much loved by his family and many friends and will be greatly missed.

Service for 'Norman' Bettandorff

Family and friends of Charles "Norman" Bettandorff will gather Saturday, May 6 at 11 a.m. at the Ft. Bidwell Community Church in Ft. Bidwell, CA to honor his memory. Interment will follow at the Ft. Bidwell Cemetery. The Rev. Dr. Ben Zandstra will conduct the service. Mr. Bettandorff, who died November 21, 2005, in Reno, Nevada, grew up in Alturas and was a rancher in Surprise Valley for many years before becoming a Brand Inspector for the State of California.

Celebration of Life for Stopps

Friends are invited to a celebration of the lives of Clarence and Lucile Stopp at the Lake City Cemetery, Memorial Day, Monday, May 29 at 1 p.m.

Their immediate family welcomes you to participate in the personal closure of this unique Surprise Valley couple. Expressions of remembrance are welcome.

Tea will be served by Ms. Lynn's Tea of Montague, CA.

Sports

Modoc wins 6th straight league title
Modoc's golf team shot its best nine holes ever as it cemented its sixth straight Shasta Cascade League golf title at Arrowhead last Friday.

Led by Micah Eppler and Brian Weed who had 18-hole scores of 74 each, the team shot a 204 on the front and finished with an 18-hole total of 393. Jeff Solomon shot 81 and Daniel Morgan and Keith Montague each shot 83. Josue Madrigal shot an 86.

Modoc beat the second place Weed team, who shot 222 and 226 for 448 total. Modoc had to only win one of the nine hole match-ups for the title.

On Tuesday, Eppler shot a 70 at Arrowhead to claim the SCL MVP award for the second year. Players earning All-league honors were: Modoc's Brian Weed with a 76 and Jeff Solomon with a 90, Scott Lassen of Weed with an 81, Tom Fox of Bishop Quinn with a 77 and Will Russell of Mt. Shasta with an 87.

The teams from Modoc and Weed will represent the SCL in the North Section Division II championship May 9 at the Likely Links, starting at 11 a.m.

The top two teams from that tourney and top four individuals and anyone who shoots 79 or better will advance to the North Section Golf Championships May 16 at Whitehawk Ranch Golf Course.

Modoc evens SCL mark at 5-5
Modoc's Braves beat Bishop Quinn 16-6 and 11-0 Friday in Alturas to even their Shasta Cascade League record at 5-5. They met Burney last night after presstime and host Mt. Shasta Friday in Alturas with gametime set for 2 p.m.

In the first game, Modoc scored two in the first, one in the second, three in the third and five in the fourth on 11 hits.

Jesse Harer got the win for Modoc, going three innings, allowing one hit and struck out six. Justin Estes pitched two shut out innings in relief, striking out three.

Tim Cruse, Travis Wood and Taylor Dunn led the Braves' hitting, each going 2-for-3 with Wood knocking in three runs, Justin Mason, Jesse Cuevas, Cruse, Jared Cox, Dunn and Garrett Chapman each getting at RBI.
The Braves won the second game 16-6, scoring their runs on 13 hits. Modoc led 3-1 in the first, 6-2 in the second, 11-6 in the third, 13-6 in the fourth and 16-6 in the fifth.

Trenton Schmidt got the win for Modoc, going two-and-two-thirds innings, allowing no runs or hits, and striking out six.

Cruse went 3-for-4 at the plate; Mason and Harer were 2-for-4 and Anderson was 2-for-3. Cuevas knocked in four runs, and Cruse had two RBI.

Coach Tim MacDonnell said Schmidt pitched well in relief and the Braves hit the ball well all day.
The current standings of the SCL are: Etna 12-0, Fall River 9-3, Weed 8-4, Modoc 5-5, Mt. Shasta 5-5. Trinity 4-10, Burney 3-9 and Bishop Quinn 0-10.

Girls win Burney track meet

The Modoc Varsity Girls won the track meet of twelve other track teams with a team score of 148 to Trinity's second place of 115 at the Burney Invitational last weekend.

The junior varsity boys came in fourth with a team score of 46 just missing third place by 10 points. The J.V. girls came in fifth with just two girls competing, Rachel Field and Kieran Porter. The varsity boys could not pull it out over Big Valley and Trinity. Indivudal result for the meet were as follows(No times or distances reported): Varsity Girls: Danielle Moriarity placed second in the mile and fourth in the 800 meters Kim Partee placed second in the 100 low hurdles, third in the 300 hurdles and fifth in the 100 meter dash. Catherine Lowry placed first in the 800 meters second in the 400 meters, and third in the long jump. Stacey Main placed third in the 400 meters, second in the 800 meters, and second in the 200 meters. Jennifer Joyce placed fifth in the 400 meters third in the 800 meters and meters in the 200 meters. Chrissy Abbott-Hall placed first in the shot put and discus, placed fifth in the 100 low hurdles and fourth in the 300 hurdles Amanda Hess placed second in both the shot put and discus. Stacey Parnow placed fifth in the discus and sixth in the shot put and sixth in the 300 hurdles. Marielle Nardoni placed sixth in the 100 meter dash and sixth in the 200 Meters. Rachel Kersbergen placed third in the mile and fifth in the 300 hurdles J.V. Girls: Rachel Field 2nd place in the shot put and discus Varsity Boys Grant Hall won both the shot put and discus and Zeke Bonham placed fourth in the long jump, fifth in the triple jump and fourth in the pole vault. Travis Wood placed fourth in the 110 high hurdles, fifth in the 300 hurdles and fifth in the pole vault. Robert Spedding placed sixth in the long jump, sixth in the triple jump and sixth in the 200 meters. J.V. Boys Spencer Fullerton placed third in the triple jump and sixth in the 100 meter dash. Cam Hall placed third in the 400 meters, fifth in the 110 high hurdles, and third in the 300 hurdles. Cain Madrigal placed third in the mile and sixth in the 800, while David Holloway placed third in the shot and fifth in the 400 meters. Kyle Hartman placed fifth in the long jump.

The J.V. Boys 4x400 relay team of Cain Madrigal, David Holloway, Kyle Hartman and Cam Hall as anchor placed second with a time of 4:19.51. Varsity Girls won with a time of 4:46.75 the team was made up of Jennifer Joyce, Stacey Main, Danielle Moriarity and Catherine Lowry. Varsity boys relay placed third with a time of 4:19.50 the team was made up of Robert Spedding, Zeke Bonham, Dustin Oates and Travis Wood.

Braves lose three of four league games

Modoc's softball team lost three of four softball games this week, making them a long shot to earn a playoff berth.
Bishop Quinn beat Modoc Friday here 3-0 and 9-0. Megan Thompson got the loss in each game.

On May 2, Modoc lost the first game to Burney 5-1 and won the second game 8-2. Thompson got the loss in the opening game and the win in the nightcap.

In game one, Emily Conner went 2-for-3 and in the second game Sammie Schmidt was 3-for-3 and Jennifer Joyce was 2-for-4.

Coach Keith Jacques said the girls played badly in the opening game against Burney, a carryover from the worst games they've played all season against Bishop Quinn. He was pleased that they fought back and regained their composure in the second game against Burney. They meet Mt. Shasta on Friday and may need to win both games to make the playoffs.

The standings for the SCL softball loop are as follows: Fall River 12-0, Etna 11-3, Bishop Quinn 7-3, Burney 7-7, Modoc 5-5, Mt. Shasta 3-7, Trinity 3-11 and Weed 0-12.

May 11th, 2006

News

Man arrested in Betty Lou Parks murder

"I've been going through hell for the past 14 years, now it's his turn," said Bonnie Dukes the week.
She was referring to Christopher Bradbury, age 31, who was arrested in Redding last Wednesday on suspicion of murdering Duke's daughter, Betty Lou Parks, in 1992.

Bradbury was booked into the Modoc County Jail Friday and his arraignment Monday was continued until May 15 at 1 p.m.

Parks was 14 years old when she disappeared from Alturas June 25, 1992. Her remains were not recovered until May 16, 1993 on an isolated Modoc Estates lot. DNA tests confirmed the remains were Betty Lou's on Oct. 12, 1993. Further examination confirmed the cause of death as blunt force trauma.

Bradbury was age 17 years old at the time of the crime, said Modoc District Attorney Jordan Funk, who would not release his name. However, his identify has been reported by several news organizations.

The arrest came about thanks to an investigation by the California Department of Justice. The Modoc Sheriff's Department had attempted an investigation, but made little, if any, progress.

"I'm relieved that arrest has been made," said Dukes. "I feared this day would never come. I'm still not sure I believe it, but it does bring some level of closure. I don't know the details, but I'm thankful for the work of the Attorney General's office."

The case was turned over to the DOJ about four years ago as a "cold case" file, in hopes that they might be able to break through the deadlock. According to the DOJ, the arrest was the result of "old-fashioned police work" as the leads they uncovered all pointed in Bradbury's direction.

While neither the DOJ nor Funk would say much about the details of the investigation, DOJ investigators have said the case is not closed with the arrest of Bradbury.

Bradbury apparently moved to Modoc with his family in 1982, but had been gone from the area and worked in the Redding area.

The Betty Lou Parks case has been tugging at the community for several years and this arrest may start bringing it to conclusion. Local law enforcement officials say they don't remember much contact with Bradbury when he did live here. Rumors ran fairly rampant around the community concerning the case and Bradbury's name never came to the forefront.

Parks disappeared after telling her mother she was going to a friend's house for the night, while the family went on a fishing trip. Dukes said that when her daughter didn't return the next morning, she was somewhat concerned, but became frightened when Betty Lou didn't come back the next day and she hadn't heard from her.

The Alturas Police Department originally handled the case. There were complications during the first year, because several reports of sightings of Betty Lou in various locations came in to police. They ran down those leads down, some from her relatives, but to no avail. When her body was found in Modoc Estates by a hiker, the Sheriff's Office took over the case because it was in county jurisdiction.

Sample ballots will be out next week

Sample ballots for the June 6 election will be in the mail the first part of next week, said Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison. All registered voters will be receiving their sample ballots.

She reminds permanent absentee and mail-in only voters that they do not have to return the absentee ballot application. Voters who want to vote absentee and are not a permanent absentee may request the absentee ballot by sending in the application form.

The change in the ballot, which will remove the County Clerk position and replace it with the new combined position of Modoc County Clerk/Auditor/ Recorder has been made.

The Record has sent questions to candidates and in the next two weeks, will be publishing their responses. The District Attorney and the Superintendent of Schools races are featured in this issue.

The final day to register to vote for the June 6 Primary Election is May 22. That's also the final day to make registration changes. One of the areas needing attention is voters' addresses matching up with their current registration. If someone has moved or had a name change, he needs to make the voter registration change.

Madison said it's very important for people to make those changes so that they insure they'll receive their state information pamphlet as well as a sample ballot. For more information call 233-6201.

The mail only precincts are: Fort Bidwell, Lake City, Eagleville, Stateline-Willow Ranch, Davis Creek, Parker Creek, South Fork, Canby, Adin, Lookout, Little Hot Springs (Day).

Voters will go to the polls in Cedarville, in Alturas A, B, C and D, North Fork, Hot Spring, Cal Pines and Newell.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and Susanville/Redding attorney Gary Woolverton, are in the race for District Attorney.

Undersheriff Mark Gentry and recently retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter are running for Sheriff/Coroner.

David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against incumbent County Supervisor in District 5, David Bradshaw, of Big Valley.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Incumbent Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw is running against Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues will require a two-thirds majority to pass.
In the race for Alturas City Council, incumbent Jerry Smith has withdrawn from the race that leaves incumbent John Vass, and two challengers, Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

New fuel wood cutting regulations take affect

Fuel woodcutting reopened on May 8, 2006 for the Big Valley and Devil's Garden Ranger Districts on the Modoc National Forest.

For 2006 there is a new fuel wood cutting policy for the Modoc National Forest. Some of the new limitations in the policy include cutting of live juniper more than 30 inches in diameter and the reopening of area C-1 where live lodgepole pine may be cut on the Warner Mountain Ranger District.

Please use caution if visiting the forest this spring to prevent resource damage and ruts from being created in roads and meadows. Please avoid driving on muddy roads for your own safety and the protection of fragile resources. Emergency services and roadside assistance are not readily available.

Awareness of environmental concerns has been growing for decades. It has affected how we relate to the outdoors. It affects those who use off-road vehicles, and it affects those who manufacture and sell off-road vehicles. Everyone has a stake in safe, responsible riding and land use.

Dead standing white fir, incense-cedar, lodgepole pine, and juniper trees (snags) less than 30" in diameter, and downed trees of any species may be cut on the Modoc National Forest, except for the following situations:

• Within 300 feet of any riparian area (lake, spring or stream) or State Highway.
• Within areas posted as active timber sales, or with "no fuel wood cutting" signs.
• Within 100 feet of campgrounds, power lines, or administrative sites.
• No trees designated as wildlife trees or any trees marked with paint shall be cut.
• Areas within the South Warner Wilderness, Sugarhill Research Area or the Devil's Garden Research Natural Area.
• Standing Ponderosa Pine, Western White, Jeffrey, Washoe, or Sugar Pine snags may not be cut. Downed Pines may be cut, but falling of Pines is prohibited.
The definition of a dead tree (snag) is a tree with no live branches or green foliage.
Live juniper under 30" diameter may be cut:
• Anywhere on the Devil's Garden, Warner Mountain, and Big Valley, and Doublehead Ranger Districts except in the areas excluded above.
• Live Lodgepole Pine may be cut in the "C-1" area on the Warner Mountain Ranger District.

Woodcutters must have a valid permit in their possession at all times and the permit holder must be present during cutting or the transporting of firewood. All chainsaws must have approved spark arrestors. Possession of a shovel or fire extinguisher while cutting is required. Piling of debris is not required. Road shall be kept clean of woodcutting debris.

Restrictions on chainsaw use due to fire danger during the fire season will be posted daily and also available by calling 233-8819, as will closures due to soft roadbed conditions during the wet season. It is the responsibility of the woodcutter to check whether there are any restrictions due to those reasons by calling the number or visiting a Forest Service office. The restrictions for firewood cutting due to fire danger correspond to the National Fire Danger Rating System: on days of Low, Moderate, and High fire danger, woodcutting is allowed all day. On days of Very High fire danger, woodcutting is allowed until 1 p.m. On days of Extreme fire danger, no wood cutting is allowed, except: The "DG1" area on the Devil's Garden District will be open for fuel wood cutting even during times of fire restrictions elsewhere on the forest.

Childrens' Fair has fun schedule

Joanie Lee and Branding Iron will headline the entertainment for the Modoc County 19th Annual Childrens' Fair Saturday, May 20 with its theme of "Back to the Future".

The Childrens' Fair takes place on the grounds of Modoc High School. It opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 3 p.m. A talent show with local folks performing starts at 11 a.m. as the fun begins.

Final preparations are in full swing. New booths have been added, some fun costumes have been purchased, a variety of food will be sold at low cost and four inflatable games from Prime Time are on the agenda. Fair t-shirts and other goodies will be on sale at the fair committee's booth.

Games and activities abound for the young and young-at-heart. Dime toss, fishing booth and bingo are three of the favorites. Modoc National Forest will bring a trailer loaded with exhibits from San Bernardino to dazzle local folks and the balloon man and juggler will wander the grounds entertaining. Emergency vehicles will be on display and the BLM will show off one of its horses available for adoption.

Inside the high school gym will be a variety of demonstrations including the square dancers, chess, and archeology. Classes from Alturas Elementary School will display their art exhibits. A prize will go to the entire class that best illustrates the theme of the fair. And prizes will go to the booths, which are best decorated according to the theme.

One home boosts Modoc building

A new home valued at over $1 million boosted Modoc County's April Building totals to $1,842,921. There were 21 building permits issued by the building department, with $14,238 in fees collected.

In addition to the one home, installation of manufactured homes accounted for $401,094. Modoc County's Building Department issued 20 permits in March, worth an estimated $364,055.

The Alturas City Building Department issued 14 permits in April, worth an estimated $163,866. That's up from only five permits in March, worth $37,081. A new building amounted to about $96,000 in the April totals.

In February, Alturas issued nine permits valued at $75,748.
The county issued seven building permits in February, worth an estimated $279,392.

Obituaries:

Services for Glenn Coughran

Memorial services for Glenn G. Coughran will be held at the Lake City Cemetery on Saturday, May 20 at 11 a.m. A potluck lunch will follow at the Lake City Fire Hall. Mr. Coughran was born May 22, 1914 in Albany, OR and moved to Lake City, CA when he was 17 years old. He was the Building and Grounds Superintendent for Modoc County. He had relocated to Yuma, AZ, where he passed away October 31, 2005. He is survived by his wife Leona (Coffey) Coughran, of Fallon, NV; daughter Dean (Coffey) Rogers of Fallon, NV; son Jake Coffey, Alturas, CA; daughter Janice (Coughran) Edgar of Nehalem, OR; grandchildren Sherrie Balmer and family, Scott Jacobs and family; Tamie Chamber and family; Tena Jacobs, and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

Luke Daniel Lay

Luke Daniel Lay passed away May 1, 2006 in Redding, CA. He was born in Alturas, CA on March 17, 1979, and attended Alturas Elementary and Modoc Middle School. He moved to Moreno Valley to live with relatives and attend high school. He entered the ROTC program there. He then moved to Redding, to live with his father and finished high school through a home study program. He served in the U.S. Army, and was stationed in Tennessee, during which time he married, but was later divorced. After his discharge, he returned to Alturas, CA in June of 2005, and lived with his grandmother for a number of months. He worked for York Ranches. The 27-year-old loved to fish.

He is survived by his mother Sally Wallis of Alturas, CA; his father Joe Allen of Redding, CA; his brother Adam Lay of Alturas and brother Cody Allen of Redding; his two sisters Rose Ann and Naomi Wallis of Alturas; his grandmother Mae Walz of Alturas; aunt and uncle Bess and Charles Walz of Perris, CA; aunt and uncle Mae and John Van Natta of Iowa Park, Texas; aunt and uncle Sue and Fred DiSario of Alturas, CA and many cousins and two second cousins in Alturas and Texas and his fiancé Michelle Forst, Alturas.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather Charlie Walz of Alturas and uncle Samuel Walz of Moreno Valley, CA and aunt Evelyn Bradford and Uncle William Bradford of Alturas.

Memorial Services were held Wednesday evening, May 10 at 6 p.m. at Faith Baptist Church, Alturas. Pastor Rod Bodmer conducted the service.

Dallas Upton

Alturas resident Dallas Upton, 54, passed away at her home on May 7, 2006, due to cancer. Mrs. Upton had lived most of her life in Modoc County. She was born Dallas Hasting on April 4, 1952 in Auburn, CA. Mrs. Upton enjoyed playing music, fishing and spending time with her family. At her request, no services will be held.

She is survived by her sister Betty McGinnis, Thompson, IL; brother Ricky Hasting, Eureka, CA; daughter Stacey Smith and son-in-law Chris Colt, Alturas, CA; son Aury Smith, Susanville, CA; daughter-in-law Cindi Parker and grandchildren Danielle and Corey Smith of Alturas, CA and Gary, A.J. and Hunter Smith of Susanville.

She was preceded in death by her mother Maxine McClurg, Fallon, NV; brother Gary Hasting, Alturas, CA; and father Clyde "Bud" Hasting, Likely, CA.

Memorial donations may be directed to the American Cancer Society.

Service for Joseph Bohdan

Services for Joseph John Bohdan will be held at "Repin' for the Lord" Church, 316 West Eighth St., Alturas on Saturday, May 13 at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to "Repin' for the Lord Ministries" c/o Destry and Shirley Campbell, Box 985, Alturas, CA 96101.

He is survived by his daughter Dylan Bohdan Sponseller, her mother and best friend, Dyan Sponseller of Alturas; daughter Dorthy Bohdan of Santa Barbara; brother James Bohdan and sister Elizabeth Bohdan, both of St. Paul, MN; a sister Doris Urbanski of Chaska, MN, a sister Judy Hirdler of Becker, MN; his beloved niece Denise (Bohdan) Henderson of Groveland, CA; nephews Sean and Kevin Bohdan of St. Paul, MN, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Arthur Green

Arthur Smith Green, 79, of Cedarville passed away May 5, 2006 at Surprise Valley Hospital there. Burial with military honors will take place Friday, May 12 at the Golden Gate Cemetery in San Bruno, CA. Services were held Tuesday in Cedarville. The well-liked Mr. Green had been a vital community volunteer and was honored for such by the Greater Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Green's obituary will appear in the May 18 Modoc Record.

Celebration of Life for Stopps

Friends are invited to a celebration of the lives of Clarence and Lucile Stopp at the Lake City Cemetery, Memorial Day, Monday, May 29 at 1 p.m.

Their immediate family welcomes you to participate in the personal closure of this unique Surprise Valley couple. Expressions of remembrance are welcome.

Tea will be served by Ms. Lynn's Tea of Montague, CA.

Service for Andrew Pearce

A memorial service for Andrew Pearce of Cedarville will be held Saturday, May 13 at 3 p.m. at the Surprise Valley Community Church in Cedarville. Dr. Ben Zandstra will officiate. A potluck will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to Surprise Valley Health Care District, P.O. Box 246, Cedarville 96104 or Surprise Valley Community Church, P.O. Box 187, Cedarville, CA 96104.

Sports

Braves split in final series with Bears

Modoc's Braves split their final series with Mt. Shasta winning the first game 12-2 and losing the second game 9-7.

Jesse Harer got the win in the opener, allowing seven hits, walking one and striking out eight.

Modoc jumped up 4-0 in the first, led 6-1 in the third and 7-2 in the fourth. The Braves added a five-run fifth. The Bears scored one in the third and in the fourth.

Bill Hammerness was 4-for-4 at the plate with a home run; Michael Gaskey, Harer and Travis Wood were each 2-for-4 and Justin Mason had a home run.

In the second game, Mt. Shasta put together one in the second, six runs in the third and fourth innings and added a final two in the fifth. Modoc led 2-0 in the first, scored in one the fourth and fifth and three in the sixth. The Bears scored their nine runs in seven hits and Modoc scored their seven on 10 hits.

Tim Cruse got the loss for Modoc. He allowed seven hits, walked six and struck out four.
Gaskey was 2-for-4 for the Braves while Brandon Anderson, Garrett Chapman, Mason, Cruse and Taylor Dunn each had a hit.

On May 3, Modoc beat Burney 11-1 in the opening game, but lost the nightcap 10-8. "It's been frustrating," coach Tim MacDonnell said this week. We 10-run a team in the opening game and then come out flat in the second game."

Jesse Harer got the win in the first game. He allowed four hits, struck out four and walked two. Modoc was down 1-0 in the second but scored six in the third and five in the fifth.

Jared Cox was 3-for-4, Dunn was 2-for 3 and Wood was 2-for-4.

In the second game, Burney went up 2-0 in the first, but Modoc took a 4-2 lead in the second. Burney tied the score at 5-5 in the third and went up 10-5 in the fourth. Modoc added one in the fifth and two in the sixth.
Cruse got the loss for Modoc, allowing 10 runs on nine hits, while fanning five and walking two.
Mason was 2-for-4, Cruse was 2-for-4 and Dunn was 3-for-4. Modoc committed six errors in the second game and struck out 12 times. The Braves finished the season at 8-10 and 7-7 in the SCL.

Modoc track team competing

Modoc's Track team apparently did well at the Mt. Shasta Twilight Invitational May 5, but coaches reported no individuals times or distances, or team scores.

Grant Hall, Zeke Bonham, Stacey Main, Michel Funk, Catherine Lowry, Kim Partee, Chrissy Hall and Amanda Hess are said to have competed well.

The JV boys and girls varsity have a shot at winning the Shasta Cascade League title, according to coaches.

Likely golf winners

The team of John and Wendy Benner of Cedarville won the Likely Links Cinco De Mayo tournament.

In second place was the team of Dennis Tate and Wayne Bethel, of Alturas, while Bob and Cheryl Cronemiller of Mineral were third. The longest drive was by John Benner and closest to the pin was Ygnacio Azcarate if Juarez, Mexico.

The field of the tourney was very diversified. The next tourney will be on Mother's Day, May 14, with all Moms golfing free. A barbecue steak dinner will follow.

Hight second in Georgia

Alturas' Robert Hight just narrowly lost the Funny Car finals race at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia Sunday to Tony Pedregon.

Pedregon blasted through the quarter-mile run at 325.69 m.p.h. and Hight was about five feet behind at 321.81 m.p.h. for second place.

Hight is having an excellent year. He is third on the PowerAde Championship points standings. Ron Capps is leading with 634 points; John Force follows with 538, Hight 416, Eric Medlen 409 and Del Worsham 376.

May 25th, 2006

News

City, county meeting resolves little

A joint Alturas City Council and Modoc County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday night concerning the proposed National Power Biomass project didn't do much to resolve issues.

What the city did do was vote to instruct LAFCO Executive Director Amy Mickelson not to file the mill property annexation papers until some zoning issues were resolved.

National Power is proposing to construct a 20-40 megawatt biomass power plant on city-owned property north of the existing structures at the mill site, near the Alturas airport. The project also includes a small log sawmill.

The City and County have been working on this power plant project in a joint effort for well over a year.
City Public Works Director Chester Robertson recommended the city renegotiate the tax structure with the county on the biomass project, using a third party consultant. That suggestion went nowhere with county officials.

He stated the city's property tax share of the project, estimated at about $50 million value, would only be $55,000 the first year and some $16,000 each year thereafter, according to a Chico State study.

County Chief Executive Officer Mike Maxwell countered that he had the Modoc Auditor's Office run an actual apportionment estimate based on a $50 million project and the additional tax annually to the city would be at $93,812. He also explained that the Modoc Joint Unified School District would receive an additional $188,792 and the County about $103,266.

Maxwell said he felt the chance of renegotiating the tax structure would be slim, primarily because the tax amounts were close. County officials would not rule out an agreement with the city to help fund the project, but that issue never came up at the meeting.

When the project was started a redevelopment district was envisioned, but that part of the project has been removed because it did not qualify. The redevelopment district actually would have covered more than just the biomass plant project and could have provided more tax revenue to the city.

Maxwell also gave the city an allocation study showing that if the biomass plant were built outside the city limits, the city's share of the property tax would be just $799 annually, while the county's share would be $128,547. That possiblity is not currently under study nor suggested.

Robertson said he felt the tax figures from the county could make a major difference in the project.
The major stumbling block for the city, according to councilman John Vass is the interim costs for planning, legal experts, engineering and infrastructure. He said the city doesn't have the funds to cover those costs. Vass wants to renegotiate those costs with the developer, saying that money has to come from National Power. The problem for the city is an agreement they signed with the developer, where it agreed to some of the costs.

The original roadmap for the project included securing those funds through grants and other means, but none of those steps have been taken by the city. In the beginning the completion of the city's housing element was an issue, but that has been done.

Maxwell said the city needs to do much more work on what costs are actually going to be before trying to renegotiate those with National Power. He said it's possible for the city and county to join and "move the project forward" but there are a variety of issues on the table that will need resolution.

"There really hasn't been a lot done on the project (by the city) for the past four and a half months," Maxwell said. "I'm not saying the city doesn't have legitimate questions, but I'm not sure you can go back to the table, you just don't have the numbers."

Vass said the city cannot go forward with the project until they have the correct costs figures and go back to the developer.

The entire project is expected to create more than 100 new jobs in Modoc County, from actual plant workers to the logging and trucking industries.

The small log sawmill is an integral part of the project, said National's Len Wohadto. In most cases, he said, the power plants were used to generate electricity to run the sawmills. In this case, the sawmill will be the main supplier of fuel for the power plant, and the electricity will be sold to Sierra Pacific. The value of the plant is expected to be above $50 million.

The plant is projected to need about 150,000 tons of fuel per year, but will be operating more efficiently than existing biomass plants and it must meet California emission standards. National Power states the plant will use one-third less fuel to produce the same amount of electricity as existing biomass plants.

National hopes the first draft of the EIR can be finished by the end of this year and all the permitting and land use issues settled and in place by the end of 2007. Construction could start in 2008 with the plant possibly coming on line in 2010.

The current effort to manage juniper in this neck of the woods is one of the driving forces behind the biomass plant project. National believes there is sufficient and renewable fuel resource to meet the long-term needs of the power plant. In addition, the state's move towards more "green energy" sources is a big part of the project.

National Power describes itself as an owner and operator of environmentally sensitive electric generating facilities which has existing facilities in Australia and the United States. The company was founded in 1991 and is privately owned.

The site for the proposed power plant is on 103 acres of city-owned property at the mill site adjacent to the airport.

National Power projects include the Big Valley Mill power plant, which is up and running. That plant had been closed and shut down when Big Valley Lumber Mill was sold and dismantled, but the power plant remained intact. It is a biomass power plant, burning wood products.

Alturas precinct polling places reversed

The Modoc sample ballot has the wrong polling places for Alturas Precincts 280 and 320, according to Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison.

Precinct 280 which normally votes at the Senior Center has its polling place listed as Alturas City Hall and Precinct 320 which normally votes at City Hall has its precinct listed as the Senior Center. Those are wrong. Precinct 280 will vote at the Senior Center, as usual, and Precinct 320 will vote at City Hall.

"We apologize for the confusion," said Madison. "The polling places are the same as usual, we just had the error on the sample ballots."

According to Madison, the number of registered voters in Modoc has climbed to 5,720, up from 5,596 in the last election.

The June 6 election ballots have been mailed. According to Madison, more and more voters are choosing to vote absentee.

She reminds permanent absentee and mail-in only voters that they do not have to return the absentee ballot application. Voters who want to vote absentee and are not a permanent absentee may request the absentee ballot by sending in the application form.

The mail-only precincts are: Fort Bidwell, Lake City, Eagleville, Stateline-Willow Ranch, Davis Creek, Parker Creek, South Fork, Canby, Adin, Lookout, Little Hot Springs (Day).

Voters will go to the polls in Cedarville, in Alturas A, B, C and D, North Fork, Hot Spring, Cal Pines and Newell.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and attorney Gary Woolverton, are in the race for District Attorney.

Undersheriff Mark Gentry and recently retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter are running for Sheriff/Coroner.

David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against incumbent County Supervisor in District 5, David Bradshaw, of Big Valley.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Incumbent Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw is running against Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues will require a two-thirds majority to pass.

In the race for Alturas City Council, incumbent Jerry Smith has withdrawn from the race leaving incumbent John Vass, and two challengers, Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

Measure I improves mosquito program

Measure I on the June 6 ballot is asking Alturas voters to raise the city mosquito abatement fees by one dollar per month.

City residents now pay a .50 cent per month fee on their water bills to fund the mosquito spray program, but Modoc Agriculture Commissioner Joe Moreo said that fee just doesn't cover the costs. That fee was imposed in 1980. If approved, Measure I would increase the assessment to $1.50 per month. That works out to $18 per year, about the same cost as three to four cans of mosquito repellent.

The City needs more funding to cover the program and to make it more effective, Moreo said this week. He is a strong supporter of the mosquito spraying program. He said the city crews would like to spray about three times per week during hatches, which would mean pretty solid control.

City crews will spray the Modoc High football field prior to the MHS graduation ceremony, and plan regular spraying starting on June 9.

Measure I will take a two-thirds majority in favor to pass. Moreo said the spraying program is a quality of life as well as a health issue.

Local immigrants study constitution, apply for citizenship

The students in Analuisa Orozco's citizenship class are Hispanics studying to become United States citizens. "They're looking for an opportunity, just like most immigrants to this country, to do something with their life," she said.

Orozco, who works in the Big Valley Family Resource Center in Bieber as a family support specialist, began by teaching English classes for immigrants. "I've been giving 'English as a second language' classes for about two years now. Because I am dealing in immigration issues, they asked me about citizenship classes. So, that's how the thought came."

Seeing a need, Orozco put together a citizenship program for immigrants in the Big Valley area. "This is my pilot program. I did it pro bono, gathered the resources that I could gather and I had six pupils come and graduate from my class."

The eight-week course required the class to meet twice a week for two hours in the morning "My students were exceptional. They came to every class and did their homework. I was just really proud," said Orozco. "A couple of students still have a ways to go, and one needs a little more brushing up on English. But, they're working towards it."

In the end, Orozco is certain her students will be ready for the required citizenship test. "In every class we had a test because I wanted them to get prepared for this test-taking thing," she said. "That's what they're going to have to face."

Typical of her students are Margarito "Jesse" Bautista, 54, and his wife Martha, 44, originally from Zacatecas, Mexico. They have been in the U.S. for about 35 years.

"I came here to the United States when I was 14 years old," said Jesse, explaining that he entered the country without a visa. "My dad died, and I had no way to support the family in Mexico. So I came over here and started working. I was making $1.25 an hour at that time.

"I came with only 10 pesos. So, a guy bought me a loaf of bread and a package of baloney. I finished that baloney and the bread in one week. After that first week, I was drinking (nothing but) water and going to work."

"He had no food for one week," said Martha, emphasizing her husband's sacrifice for his family.

"If they have family up here, then the word gets down that the work is here. They come up for the work and the opportunity," said Orozco, explaining how Mexican families typically go about immigrating to the U.S. "It usually happens that the father comes up first. They are separated from their families. They're trying to immigrate the rest of their family. But, because there is this long wait, it's really difficult to have the family separated for so long."

"When I came over here," said Jesse, "I had a hard time even to feed my brothers over there. I used to send them the money over there to support them."

Small in stature, Jesse did all he could to find work. "I even wore two pants, two shirts and a big coat so they would give me a job. (That way) I looked bigger."

Jesse later returned home to Zacatecas, met and married Martha and then returned with her to the U.S.
"When we came from Mexico, we were illegal aliens," said Martha, who is now an American citizen. "We came to the United States with no papers. We suffered a lot."

Recalling the gauntlet they had to run at the boarder crossing, Jesse said, "You've got to make the money for the coyotes (smugglers). It's not cheap either."

He shook his head as he recalled the danger from Mexican robbers that prey upon immigrants. "They come across just to rob people when they come across walking. If you don't give them what they want, they hurt you. They wait for people just to steal their money or their stuff. You're risking your life."

While they feared being caught by immigration officers, "they just deport you," Jesse said. "They don't hurt you."

It's the Mexican robbers he feared the most. "The others—our own people—they do this stuff. Some even take your wife away. You don't want that. You give your life for your wife. A lot of people, they get killed. So, it's dangerous."

What made them want to take the risk to come to the U.S illegally? "Oh, for a better life," they said in unison.
"It means a lot to us," said Jesse. "We get protection here, a better life for the kids, better benefits and better food."

Life was not as good in Mexico. "Over there you work hard, and they don't appreciate it."
Even though they knew immigration was going to be tough, they also knew it would be well worth the sacrifice.

"We're happy to be here. Everything costs, but we work hard every day," said Jesse, explaining that they are well established in Big Valley. "We own a house, now. We have two or three pickups. We've got the kids in the school. And, we are happy to be here in America."

"And we're going to keep working hard," said Martha.

"… work hard and get along with everybody," said Jesse.

In 1987, they became residents. Then, in 1998, Martha won her citizenship, hoping to sponsor her ailing father. "It was my hope to get my father legal so he can come to the United States. But that never happened. He died before."

Now that he has completed the citizenship class, Jesse plans to take the citizenship test in the near future. "I can try, now. I was waiting until I was 55 years old so I can take the test in Spanish," he said, laughing. He will still have to take it in English.

After working and paying taxes for 35 years, Jesse wants to get social security benefits when he gets to retirement age. That's part of his motivation to gain citizenship, but not the only reason. "To be able to have a voice to vote. That's the main thing," said Jesse.

The emerging immigration controversy has surprised and overwhelmed these simple people. They are dismayed and anxious that some Americans seem antagonistic toward them. "It's not good," said Martha, speaking of the ongoing debate and the organized marches.

Even though they do not participate in the protests, they are seen by many as sympathetic with the protestors. "We never did anything like that. … Who has time to do that?" asked Martha, who does not identify with the marchers but rather considers herself part of the Big Valley community and an American. "They don't live in a small community. They don't do nothing."

Jesse admits that some Mexicans come here looking for a handout, and he believes that gives those like himself and his wife who work hard to become part of the community a bad name. "Troublemakers. If one does (something bad), we all get the same name. That's a bad guy," said Jesse, explaining that a few bad actors create a problem for the rest.

"Everybody says, 'Oh, he's a Mexican. He's the same like the other bad guy.' And, it is not true. Some of them are a little better and some of them are worse, but we all take the same blame. It's not fair, but there's nothing we can do about it," said Jesse, woefully. "That really hurts when you hear somebody talking about the 'Spanish people.' That's (us) our people, and it hurts. And they think we are all the same. No, there's big difference."

As for the citizenship classes, Jesse is upbeat. "It's a little bit hard, but nothing is impossible if a guy really wants to learn and go and do the homework."

Speaking of their teacher, he said, "She was a big help. When I (first) came, they were already half way (through the course), and I still learned a lot from her. I really appreciate her help. She helps the whole community here."

"She helps a lot of Spanish people," said Martha. "The better thing is she's bilingual."
"We don't have any trouble. If we can't ask her in English, we can ask her in Spanish," said Jesse. "She a big help to the community."

Orozco also helped Martha get her citizenship and her GED. "I went to her to learn English. My English is really poor. I want to learn how to write, to read and to speak better."

Martha told of practicing her English in front of a mirror. "I was looking like an idiot," she said, grimacing.
Having succeeded, she affirms that anyone can learn if they really try. "We can do it if we want to," she said. "They can do it, and I know it. Sometimes it's hard because they think everybody is making fun of them."
What is Martha's advice to her Hispanic friends and neighbors? "No matter the cost, keep working the English."

Orozco points out the heart of the issue for the Hispanic community in Big Valley. "They just want to be treated equally, as part of the community."

Hospital dedicates upgraded dining room

Federal grants totaling $442,348 from the Health Resources and Services Administration, HRSA, and administered through the Modoc Indian Health Project in Alturas have resulted in major improvements to both Modoc Medical Center and Surprise Valley Health Care District.

Memorial plaques will be dedicated to Paul Del Rosa, the Hammawi Band of Pit River Indians for his years of service and dedication to the MIHP Board of Directors in Alturas and to Wanda Dunn, Northern Paiute, in Surprise Valley, also for her years of service to the MIHP.

The two-year grant program awarded $93,500 to each hospital the first year and $116,620 to each facility the second year. The funds were used for renovation and equipment purchases.

Modoc Medical Center and the MIHP are inviting the public to a special presentation and dedication of Warnerview's newly renovated dining room and lounge area June 1, 2 p.m.

Congressman John Doolittle will be the featured speaker.

Marc McNair will open the event by drumming a special honor song and Belinda Brown, Executive Director for MIHP, who oversees the administration of the HRSA grant, and has followed the renovation project from the beginning will make the introductions.

Throughout the program, there will be a power-point presentation featuring photos of the renovation as it took place. A tour of Warnerview, including the renovated resident's family and television room will be offered. Those attending will enjoy an assortment of meats, cheeses and vegetables provided by MIHP. MMC will provide punch, coffee and cookies.

HRSA is the primary Federal agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that provides grant funding for uninsured, underserved and special needs populations.

The improvements to the dining facility at Warnerview included a new floor, lighting, wall coverings, furniture, windows, window coverings, linens and dishware. A new French door was added to allow residents to exit the dining room to he new patio area.

In addition, a new wrought iron fence, new outdoor furniture and a waterfall and pond were added to the patio area.

The grants also allowed for the purchase of new medical equipment, including an ECG machine, a new cell counter in the laboratory, lab software and other items.

SV Medical Central used part of the funding to purchase a new 120 KW emergency backup generator and to upgrade its radiology department to create digital; x-rays and necessary software and other items.

Obituaries:

Enloe O. Looper

Services for Enloe Looper were held Monday, May 22 at 10 a.m. at the Alturas Cemetery. Pastor Mel Chasteen conducted the service.

Alturas resident Enloe Oscar Looper passed away May 18, 2006 at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA. Mr. Looper was born in Monterey, Tennessee on June 21, 1923, to Dock and Cassie Looper.

Enloe stayed in Tennessee until he was 16 when he moved to California to work with his brother Grover.
In 1941, at the age of 17, he joined the U.S. Navy and served during World War II.

Upon his discharge from the Navy, he returned home to Tennessee, and began dating Johnnie Officer. They were married six months later. This marriage brought three children, David, Mildred and Debbie. Davie preceded his father in death the summer of 1967.

Enloe and Johnnie came to Orange Cove, CA. 12 days after their marriage. Later that year they moved to Alturas. They have remained in Alturas since that time, except for a brief period when they returned to Tennessee for the birth of their second child Mildred.

Enloe worked at the Lumber Mill in Alturas. He loved Modoc County, his family and friends. Hunting, fishing and playing cards were some of his favorite hobbies. Later in Enloe's life he found he enjoyed buying, raising and selling horses. This was such a special interest he had because he could share it with his grandchildren he loved so much.

He is survived by his wife Johnnie of Alturas; daughters and sons-in-law Mildred and Pinky Anklin of Canby, CA; Debbie and Bob McCoy of Alturas; grandchildren Nikki and Eric Duarte of Beatty, OR; Rick Anklin, Canby; Ray Anklin, Alturas; Victor Madrigal, Ft. Bidwell; Kristi Zendejas, Alturas; brothers Ray and Rosco of Tennessee and Arlie of Indiana; sisters Anna Tinch and Berta Mae Wilson of Tennessee.

Memorial remembrances may be directed to the Alturas Baptist Church c/o Pastor Mel Chasteen, P.O. Box 1162, Alturas, CA 96101.

Stopps

Friends are invited to a celebration of the lives of Clarence and Lucile Stopp at the Lake City Cemetery, Memorial Day, Monday, May 29 at 1 p.m.

Their immediate family welcomes you to participate in the personal closure of this unique Surprise Valley couple. Expressions of remembrance are welcome.

Tea will be served by Ms. Lynn's Tea of Montague, CA.

Sports

Modoc track in small schools meet
No one from Modoc High School's varsity track teams won an event at the Small Schools Championship last weekend.

The girls' varsity team had the best showing with Stacey Main taking second in the 400 meters at 1:04.3 and Chrissy Abbott-Hall taking a second in the discus 77-7. Modoc's 4x400 relay team of Jennifer Joyce, Main, Michel Funk and Catherine Lowry placed second at 4:31.3.

Joyce was third in the 800 meters in 2:38.3, Kim Partee was third in the 300 hurdles at 57.5 and Hall was third in the discus at 26-9.5.

Lowry took a fourth in the 400 meters in 1:07.5; Funk was fourth in the 1600 meters in 6:13.2. Danielle Moriarity was fourth in the 3200 meters in 14:10.4. Hall was fourth in the 100 hurdles at 19.7.

Moriarity took a fifth in t he 1600 meters in 6:13.7, Hall was fifth in the 300 hurdles in 58.6, Amanda Hess was fifth in the shot at 24-4 and Marielle Nardoni was fifth in the 3200 meters in 15:24.7.

For the varsity boys, Grant Hall placed third in the shot at 38-8.5 and in the discus at 111-5. Dustin Philpott was third in the high jump at 5-4.5 Travis Wood was fifth in the 300 hurdles in 47.7 and Zeke Bonham was fifth in the triple jump at 36-8. Modoc's 4x400 meter relay of Robert Spedding, Bonham, Hall and Wood placed fifth at 4:09.5.

Cain Madrigal led the Modoc junior varsity boys with a second place in the 1600 meters at 5:10.7. David Holloway took a third in the 400 meters in 59.4. Madrigal was fourth in the 800 meters in 2:28.2. Cam Hall took a fourth in the 300 hurdles in 48.3. Modoc's 4x400 of Madrigal, Holloway, Kyle Hartman and Hall was third at 4:14.1.

Hartman was fourth in the high jump 5-0 and fifth in the long jump at 14-9.5.
Rachel Field was the sole winner for Modoc. She won the junior varsity girls discus at 75-2 and placed fourth in the shot at 23-10.

Sign up for Women's Slow Pitch Softball

Women's Slow Pitch Softball is looking for players. You are eligible to play if you will be entering high school in the fall of 2007. The season starts July 10 and runs through August 2006. Cost is $25 per player. For more information please contact Cheryl Kunert at 233-6400 or Nichole Stains at 640-2077.

June 1, 2006

News

Big turnout expected for Tuesday vote

Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. or the June 6 Primary Election in Modoc County and across the state. Several local hotly contested races, and state and federal offices are on the ballot.

The Modoc Record will have the results for the election on its Internet site, www.modocrecord.com as soon as they are released by the Modoc County Clerk's office Tuesday evening, probably between 8:45 and 10 p.m.

Two important local issues are on the ballot: one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues will require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Democrats in the County did not receive a ballot containing the race for Attorney General. An additional ballot was sent out to absentee voters Saturday and voters at the polls Tuesday will have one extra card with that race.

The Modoc sample ballot has the wrong polling places for Alturas Precincts 280 and 320, according to Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison.

Precinct 280 which normally votes at the Senior Center has its polling place listed as Alturas City Hall and Precinct 320 which normally votes at City Hall has its precinct listed as the Senior Center. Those are wrong. Precinct 280 will vote at the Senior Center, as usual, and Precinct 320 will vote at City Hall.

Modoc ended with total registration for this election at 5,707, down from last election's 5,723. Republicans lead voter registration with 2,791, Democrats have 1,747, Non Partisan have 908, American Independent 178, Libertarian 44, Green 29, Peace and Freedom 9 and Natural Law 3.

Madison reminds absentee and mail-in only voters to return the ballot by close of polls election day. They can be in to the Clerk's Office or turned in at a proper polling place. Madison said here is increased interest in this election and predicts a high voter turnout.

The mail-only precincts are: Fort Bidwell, Lake City, Eagleville, Stateline-Willow Ranch, Davis Creek, Parker Creek, South Fork, Canby, Adin, Lookout, Little Hot Springs (Day).
Voters will go to the polls in Cedarville, in Alturas A, B, C and D, North Fork, Hot Spring, Cal Pines and Newell.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and attorney Gary Woolverton, are in the race for District Attorney. That race has been very tense.

Undersheriff Mark Gentry and recently retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter are running for Sheriff/Coroner in a race that might be very close.

David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against incumbent County Supervisor in District 5, David Bradshaw, of Big Valley.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Incumbent Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw is running against Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator. That race has become very hotly debated over the past month.
In the race for Alturas City Council, incumbent Jerry Smith has withdrawn from the race leaving incumbent John Vass, and two challengers, Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

Main Street project moves forward

The Alturas Main Street project is moving along, although it is encountering some "common" issues with utilities and water lines.

Currently, contractor Eagle Peak Rock and Paving is installing a new storm drain along Main. This portion of the work is expected to be completed by mid-July, according to Caltrans. Several challenges have been encountered including conflicts with sewer laterals and water lines. Caltrans, in cooperation with the City of Alturas, will continue to work out solutions for handling each conflict.

Caltrans states that as work progresses, disruption to sewer and water service may occur. Property owners will be give 24-hour notice of any planned disruption.

In an attempt to locate as may existing utilities as possible, investigative work was performed early in the design phase of the project. However, Caltrans said undiscovered utilities are common on projects that involve reconstruction of a roadway through a historical town. Funding was provided in this project to address additional costs associated with the unforeseen utilities.

"As excavation operations continue, there is potential to encounter contaminated soils or ground water resulting from former gas stations and underground fuel tanks," Caltrans states. "If this occurs during construction, Caltrans and other agency requirements will be followed based on the size and type of the contaminated area."

The project will rehabilitate the roadway and make various safety and operational improvements on State Routes 299 and 395 in and near the city.

For current construction information, please call the project information hotline at 530-233-1539 or tune your radio to FM 97.9. For more specific questions please call the Caltrans Resident Engineer Bill Barnes at 233-1296 or the Public Information Office in Redding at 530-225-3260.

DA tells court he won't show for all arraignments

Modoc County District Attorney Jordan Funk has told Modoc County Judges that he will not be appearing in court on all arraignments, citing a staffing issue.

Superior Court Judge Larry Dier said that practice is unusual for Modoc County, but does occur in other counties. Dier said he and Judge Fritz Barclay had scheduled a meeting with Funk on the issue last Wednesday, but Funk could not make that appointment. Dier said the invitation to Funk is open and said he wasn't sure what options the courts have until after that meeting.

Funk, who does not have an assistant DA at this time, has noted the public defenders' office has staff lawyers, while he does not. Funk said there are several major trials coming up so and he's concentrating more on those.

"What we're doing is adopting a practice common in other jurisdictions," said Funk Tuesday. "We won't appear on all arraignments, but will on select felonies and misdemeanor cases."

Funk said he has two homicide cases in the system now and other cases that require more of his time. He said while he will not be appearing at arrangements on minor issues, but he will in cases where he feels his personal arguments are required.

Funk said state Department of Justice statistics point out that 2.5 attorneys should handle the Modoc DA's office workload. As it stands now, Funk is the sole operator.

Funk said he doesn't think the changes will affect the office's operations.

Memorial trip a shock to pioneer spirit

Sometimes it takes a fresh perspective from afar to discover something nearly lost to those who live near it. In this case, it is the Pioneer Cemetery, located a short walk off Carlos Street and set on a bluff with an expansive view, overlooking the Pit River in Alturas.

When long-time Modoc resident Virgil Pratt, 92, now of Roseburg, OR returned with family members for a Memorial Weekend family reunion in Modoc County, he and his family were saddened and upset to see the lack of care and preservation at the Pioneer Cemetery grounds, while looking for the grave of one of their own family members. They were on their own personal genealogy research mission to find their great-grandmother's grave among pioneer families buried at the historic cemetery. Wild yellow roses were all that appeared to mark the location they were searching for in the cemetery figured to have been utilized from 1872 to 1895, as the first cemetery in Alturas or Dorris Bridge as the town was once called.

They also found that the cemetery extends southeast beyond the standing perimeter markers and any fencing still standing and had "well more than 60 graves, over a five-acre tract of land." In the family's quest to find further information about the grave of their own family member, Melvina Doten Shields, they spoke with Dixie Server of the Modoc County Historical Society, Phyllis Dustman of the Alturas Cemetery District Board and Ed Coronado, a caretaker at the (new) Alturas Cemetery.

They also discovered there is no longer a recorded "master list" available at the Modoc County Courthouse, of those who were originally interred at the Pioneer Cemetery. It could be that such a list may still exist, but no one knows where or with whom.

"We know from seeing some of the original deeds at the (new) Alturas Cemetery (established in 1890) that families paid for the Pioneer Cemetery plots and probably expected them to be cared for," notes Sue Dean of Roseburg, OR. "We were shocked to see the condition of the Pioneer Cemetery in an area known for its pioneer spirit. Accompanying Dean and Pratt on the family trip were Richard Styler and Kathryn Styler of Salem, OR.

Passionate about seeing Modoc's pioneer hallowed grounds cared for, Pratt said he would like to see some funding afforded to fix up the cemetery and gentle care given to bring it back to how it should be, leaving the honeysuckle and wild roses, brought by family members to the site. Sagebrush and weeds have taken over and many of the markers are broken. The names on the 20 markers which are still intact or readable have also been listed on a "Modoc Cemeteries" website under the California US GenWeb Project and the California Tombstone Project. All of Modoc's cemeteries have listings.

Names which still are visible and which have been recorded from the Pioneer Cemetery are Harry Wayne Beardsley, Carthie L. Fritz, Archie A. Gault, Edna Lee Giannini, Thomas Godfrey, Martha Ivory, Rosa Lee Ivory, Martha C. Jones, Clara Emily Leonard, Thomas Nash, Belle Nelson, J.N. Stone, Rhoda Agusta Stone, Nicholas Sullivan, Daily M. Thomas, Susanah Turner, Thos. L. Turner, Anna R. Wanzer, Maud M. Wanzer, Joey Wilson.

There may be many other families who have waited a long time to return to find the final resting place of a relative, only to be left wondering where their grave is located. Light depressions and stones remain, but it may be that wood markers once in place are long gone. It is the family's hope that care will be given to the Pioneer Cemetery to improve its current state with sagebrush and deterioration taking over. And wouldn't it be wonderful if the long lost Pioneer Cemetery master list should ever be located.

June 8th, 2006

News

Bradshaw, Budmark, Gentry, Jones win full terms

Modoc Undersheriff Mark Gentry survived a strong challenge from retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter to win the race for Modoc County Sheriff in Tuesday's election.

While the state turnout was low, Modoc had a 61.63 percent voter turnout, which was lower than anticipated. Of the county's 5,707 voters, 3,517 cast ballots.

In unofficial results, Gentry had 1,789 votes, 51.71 percent and Poindexter had 1,664, 48.09 percent.
County Supervisor for District 5 David Bradshaw won re-election to a four-year term, defeating Tulelake's David Porter Misso. Bradshaw had 390 votes and Misso 204.

Challenger Gary Jones, of Tulelake, was elected as Modoc Superintendent of Schools, unseating appointed incumbent Dr. Vanston Shaw. Jones picked up 1,897 votes (56.53 percent) and Shaw 1,454 43.33 percent.
Cheri Budmark, an appraiser in the Assessor's Office, won election as Assessor, defeating challenger Ron Imbach. Budmark had 2,402 vote (70.42 percent) and Imbach polled 1,007 (29.52 percent).

In the race for Modoc District Attorney, Gary Woolverton and Richard Cotta will go to a run-off election in November. Woolverton led the race with 1,487 votes (44.31 percent); Cotta had 1,003 (29.89 percent) and John Lawson 848 (25.27 percent). To win in the primary, a candidate had to have 50 percent plus one vote.
The two challengers in the Alturas City Council race, Keith Jacques and Rod Gately won election unseating incumbent John Vass and incumbent Jerry Smith, who had actually withdrawn from the race. Jacques had 588 votes, Rod Gately had 535, John Vass had 415 and Jerry Smith had 246.

Surprise Valley easily passed its annual Surprise Valley Hospital District Assessment increase of $75 while voters in Alturas turned down a $1 per month increase for mosquito abatement.

The Surprise Valley Hospital assessment was approved with 368 in favor (78.13) percent and 103 against (21.87 percent). It needed at least a two-thirds majority to pass was well above that threshold.

The City mosquito issue had 630 votes in favor (60.11 percent) and 418 against 39.89 percent. It failed to get the required two-thirds majority.

In the uncontested races, Auditor/Recorder Judi Stevens received 2,897 votes, District One Supervisor Dan Macsay had 389 votes, Cheryl Knoch, County Treasurer/Tax Collector had 3,107 votes, and City Treasurer Kathie Alves had 934 votes.

In the state proposition issues, Modoc voted against Proposition 81, the library funding measure by 74.55 percent 2,487 votes, to 849 in favor, 25,45 percent. It failed statewide by 53.1 percent against and 46.9 percent in favor.

The County also voted heavily against Prop. 82, the preschool initiative with 68.74 percent against (2,311), and 31.26 percent in favor, (1051). It failed statewide by 60.9 percent to 39.1 percent.

Modoc vote liked Republican Congressman John Doolittle by a margin of 79.3 percent over challenger Mike Holmes. Districtwide, Doolittle won with 67 percent of the vote.

On the Democratic side for U.S. Congress, Charlie Brown won with 46.5 percent of the vote districtwide. In Modoc, he received 41.4 percent.

In the race for California Governor, Republicans in Modoc liked Arnold Schwarzenegger with 83.3 percent of the vote. His statewide Republican approval was 89.9 percent. For the Democrats, Modoc voted 55.9 percent in favor of Steve Westly and 26.3 percent for Phil Angelides. That's reverse of the statewide results where Angelides won with 47.9 percent to Westly's 43.3 percent.

The Record will have full election results for next week, since they were not completely available by presstime.

Building in city, county slumps

Building activity in Modoc County and City of Alturas slumped in May. The city issued nine building permits valued at $48,062 and the county issued 17 permits worth an estimated $814,100.

Those figures contrast with Modoc County's April Building totals of 21 permits valued at $1,842,921 and the city's 14 permits valued at $163,866.

In the city, five of the permits were for roofing projects. There were two new homes included in the county report as well as five manufactured home installations.

The county's Building Department issued 20 permits in March, worth an estimated $364,055.

Agencies open fire season June 12

The onset of summer weather conditions has prompted officials at the Susanville Interagency Fire Center to declare the wildfire season officially open Monday, June 12. The "official" fire season announcement informs people that high fire dangers exist and that caution with outdoor uses of fire is required.

The SIFC agencies (Lassen National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, Lassen Volcanic National Park and the Lassen-Modoc Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection) jointly announced the fire season start, and advised that wildland fire dangers are already on the rise."The weather is heating up and vegetation is starting to cure," said Jim Hedges, a co-manager at SIFC. "Desert ranges have a heavy crop of grass resulting from the wet winter and spring. Dry grass carries fire quickly, so there is potential for a very active fire season. We are asking everyone to think about fire safety anytime they are outdoors."

CDF has required permits for outdoor burning since May 1, and campfire permits are required for BLM and Forest Service-managed lands outside of developed campgrounds and recreation sites.

While conditions are right for a busy fire season, SIFC officials said the severity can depend largely on the caution people use with fire.

Property owners must always adhere to the hours and conditions on burning permits, using fire only on calm days. Fires should be constantly supervised, and tools including a water hose and shovel must be on hand. Use of mowers and other brush and grass clearing equipment should be avoided during hot and windy periods because sparks caused by blades hitting rocks can cause fires.

Campers must pay attention to seasonal fire restrictions, keep campfires small, and be sure fires are cold to the touch before leaving camp.

"Most of our wildfires in northern California are caused by lightning," Hedges said. "People can help ensure our crews are available to respond to lightning fires by using extreme caution, keeping human-caused fires to a minimum."

Officials stress that possession and use of fireworks are prohibited in national forests, on BLM-managed public lands and in many unincorporated areas in northeast California. People should check with local fire departments for specific fireworks regulations.

This year, the fire center will be ready to respond to emergencies with a total of 34 fire engines, 18 ground crews, three helicopters, an aerial tanker and an "air attack" airplane from the CDF, Lassen National Forest, Bureau of Land Management and Lassen Volcanic National Park.

SIFC crews provide fire protection and suppression in parts of Lassen, Modoc, Butte and Tehama counties, and parts of extreme northwest Nevada.

Hospital debt up to $5.5 million

Modoc Medical Center's debt to the county has increased to $5,531,096.76 at the end of May, according to Modoc County Auditor Judi Stevens. That's up from the end of April's $5,458,458.45.

The debt did drop in November to $4,585,423.21. Month by month the debt looked like this: September $4,690,812; October $4,741,129; November $4,585,423; December $4,867,652; January $4,793,393; and February $5,071,818 and March $5,366.613.

The increase in debt from April though May was $72,638 and from September 2005 it has increased by $840,284.

The Modoc Record will continue to publish the actual debt at the end of each month.

Watch out for promise of big winnings, checks arriving in mail

Checks arrive in the mail, looking very official from known banks, and carry with them a false promise of riches. To unsuspecting Modoc residents who have received them lately and tried to tap into the promise offered by the prize notification, heartache and financial burden have followed. Bank employees are aware of the scam although customers are still showing up to cash the checks.

The latest scam postmarked from Canada, is a cashier's check fraud, complete with watermark and hologram and the angle it pitches is usually a Euro Lotto, Lottery or USA Mega Millions Jackpot prize, and International Mega Lotto.

"If it's too good to be true, then it probably isn't true," described Cheryl Sakahara, a universal banker at U.S. Bank in Alturas. "We just want to get the word out in black and white to residents in Modoc County, that this is a scam. We've had a handful of customers bring these checks for us to cash, because the checks look so believable. People are being fooled by it. If we can save only one person the heartache and financial burdens that accompany these letters, it will be worth our efforts."

In tracking down the origin of one such check, Sakahara found that the phone number listed on the check, was a contact number for a commercial bank. "Sometimes, the phone number may be altered but there is someone ready to answer. One such phone number on a check connected her to a bank in Bellingham, WA, where she was told by a bank employee that someone really had purchased an official cashier's check, but the numbers on the check were later altered. Other checks and accompanying letters US Bank has had customers bring in have been issued by such "company names" as Emerging Financial Group of Tacoma, WA, Publishers, Digest Internet Games Dept. Vital Lotto Sweepstakes Prize, Inc., southern California towns such as Encino, and more promising big winnings. The letter of instruction with the check asks the "winner" to deposit the first prize check in their bank account within a limited number of days upon receiving the document. The winner is then called upon to send back a check to cover any number of items which can include "taxes, clearance fees, processing fees or legal and insurance fees" on the sum they have won, in order to have the sender release their remaining very substantial winnings into the account of the winner's choice. If acted upon, the first prize check comes up fraudulent at a later date and the "winner's" own bank account can lose thousands of dollars, based on the amount requested in order to receive the lump sum payments, of say, $250,000.

Sakahara said one such letter has been very believable to some local senior citizens because the words "Guaranteed safe and secure" at the bottom of the fraudulent Lotto letter were used. Two individuals names were set up as "Accounts Manager and Operations Manager" telephone operators to answer the phones at the "company" should someone call to inquire.

"This particular letter was presented to us more than once by different residents," notes Sakahara.
As scams change and surface quickly, over the internet, phone and through mail, the public is reminded to limit disseminating any information about account numbers and personal information. In her call to the Washington state bank, on the border of British Columbia, Sakahara was informed that the FBI has been called in to investigate, but the number of scams is overwhelming.

Obituaries:

Mary Charlotta Rojas

A funeral mass for Mary Charlotta Rojas, 74, of California Pines, was held this morning, June 8 at 9 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Alturas, CA. The Rev. Patrick Henry gave the service with interment following at the Alturas Cemetery.

Mrs. Rojas passed away of natural causes on Saturday, June 3, 2006 in Alturas, CA.

Born Mary Garcia on November 17, 1931 in Huntington Park, CA., she graduated from Jordan High School there. She met Samuel Garcia Rojas at a dance while he was in his Air Force uniform at the Zenda Ballroom in Los Angeles. Sam was stationed in Sacramento at the time, but fate played its role as one year later to the date, they attended a wedding, as separate guests, not knowing the other would be there. It was nine months later that Sam and Mary were married on June 17, 1956. They reared their three daughters and Mary enjoyed being a Girl Scout, Brownie and Blue Bird leader through each of her daughter's experience in the troops. "My car was full of kids, every race, color and nationality. We called ourselves the United Nations," she told the Record for a story about the Rojas family published in the California Pines Log in Winter of 1997. She also worked as a medical assistant at Ranchos Los Amigos, a county hospital that specialized in caring for burn patients.

The Rojas purchased property at Cal Pines in 1983. They left their custom-built home of 37 years in Downey, CA. to move to Cal Pines June 1, 1993. Mary was a gracious, fun loving and family oriented person who became involved six months later with the California Pines Fire Department Auxiliary for which she served as President for two terms. The Auxiliary's Mexican and Spaghetti dinners, bingo nights and bazaars managed to earn the Auxiliary $11,000 during her tenure, which all went to purchases to aid the fire fighting unit. She found it rewarding to work as a Skill Developer at Modoc Work Activity Center, in Alturas, working beside her daughter Liz.

Mary loved playing Bingo down south every Wednesday and Friday and continued the weekly games at the Little Red Schoolhouse, working the events on Saturday nights all year through. She enjoyed outings to Burney and Reno with girlfriends and in more recent years, enjoyed playing Bingo at the Desert Rose Casino in Alturas. She was very involved with activities through her church, Sacred Heart in Alturas.

Mary had many talents and the first time she entered any category at the Modoc District Fair, she earned the first place, Blue Ribbon for a crocheted afghan with a bear design, she made without a pattern. She was chosen as the 1995 Volunteer for the Year for the Auxiliary and donated countless hours to their causes, including creating crafts to sell at their annual bazaars and cooking for the firefighters and special events. Some of her unique and amazing crafts included Model T's, ships, trains and buggies made of paper bags, but resembling burnished metal sculptures that are three-dimensional and framed for wall hangings. She loved all the seasons and always found something to do. She will be greatly missed by her family and many friends. Mary and Sam shared a wonderful, loving and mutually respectful marriage of 45 years, before he died July 10, 2001. That same year, she was also preceded in death by her grandson Frankie Madrigal of Irwindale, CA and her parents.

She is survived by her three daughters, Linda Madrigal and husband Frank of Irwindale, CA; Diana Chrisco of Horseshoebend, Arkansas and Liz Gladu and husband Lenny of Alturas, CA; grandchildren Roxsanne Papka and husband Lance of Petaluma, CA; Meagan Gladu, Petaluma; Lenny Gladu, Alturas; James Chrisco, Horseshoebend, Arkansas; great-grandson Samuel Gladu, Petaluma; great-granddaughter Taylor Papka, Petaluma. Mary's sole surviving sister, Carolina Torres of Norwalk, CA is the last of the seven siblings.
Contributions in Mary's memory may be directed to the Modoc Work Activity Center, P.O. Box 1629, Alturas, CA 96101.Obituary

Lois Aleen Emery

Lois "Aleen" Emery died of natural causes at her home in Lakeview, OR. on May 29, 2006. Mrs. Emery was 86. Funeral services were held Saturday, June 3 at 2 p.m. at the Davis Creek Community Church, followed by interment at the Harmony Hill Cemetery in Davis Creek. The church and cemetery were gifts to the community from her great-grandfather, Martin Henderson.

Mrs. Emery was born February 20, 1920, at Davis Creek to Ralph Theodore and Ida Jane (Henderson) Renner, who were members of two Goose Lake Valley pioneer families. She attended grammar school at Davis Creek and graduated from Modoc Union High School in Alturas. She next graduated from Cosmetology School in Oakland, CA.

She married Stanley Ylinen in 1942. Their daughter Arthada Jane was born in Oakland. That marriage ended in divorce and she returned to Modoc in 1946. She married Richard "Dick" Emery in Reno, Nevada on May 29, 1948. Their daughter Sherry Lynn was born in Alturas. The family moved to Lakeview in 1952.
Mrs. Emery was a member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and was a founding member of the Alturas and Lakeview chapters. She loved the Goose Lake Valley and the Oregon coast. She was an avid gardener, fisherwoman, rock hound and antique collector. Her entire life was devoted to her family. She will be deeply missed by her daughters and their husbands: Arthada "Punkie" and Jerry Sawyer of Bend, OR and Sherry and Russell LaSota of Lakeview, OR; grandchildren, Tara Sawyer, Jerry Sawyer, Jr. and Tye Grisel; great-grandchildren, Taylor Lee, Olivia Perry, Timberlyn Ortega, Frank Perry and Travis Long; step-daughter, Joan Kiley and step-granddaughter Jennifer Vallejo.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and sister, Arthada Weber.
Donation in the memory of Mrs. Emery may be made to Lakeview Home Health and Hospice, 700 South J Street, Lakeview, OR 97630 or to a charity of the donor's choice. Desert Rose Funeral Chapel of Lakeview was in charge of arrangements.

Service for 'Criss' Clark

Friends and family members of Cristal "Criss" Clark will gather in his memory at the Alturas Cemetery on Saturday, June 17 at 2 p.m. for a graveside service. Mr. Clark, a resident of Modoc County for 76 years, passed away December 21, 2005 in Alturas, CA. He was 83. He was born in New Pine Creek, OR.
His wife Phyllis, of almost 60 years, resides in Alturas, CA.

Donations in his memory may be directed to the American Heart Association, 1372 Longfellow Ave., Chico, CA 95926 or the Alzheimer's Society of Northern California, P.O. Box 1824, Sacramento, CA 95812.

Sports

38 fish caught at Rotary Derby

While there weren’t many kids involved, most of them caught fish at the 49th Annual Alturas Rotary Fish Derby last Saturday.

Of the 40 children involved, 38 fish were reeled in during the two-hour contest. The winner for the first girl’s fish was Haley Stout and the first fish caught by a boy was by Scott Lewis. Emily Anderson caught the most fish in the girl’s division and Hunter Williams won the boys contest. Lily Love caught the largest fish for the girls and Adam Weaver caught the biggest fish for the boys.

The bike winners, by drawing, were Audra Larsen and Benicia Cervantes and Garret Larsen and Timmy Prisco.

Posse Junior Horse Show attracts youth riders

Modoc County Sheriff’s Posse hosted their 51st annual Junior Horse Show June 3 and judged winners, presented certificates, medallions and ribbons to youth riders in all age categories who competed at the Junior Showgrounds in Alturas.

Events offered included Trail Horse, Western Equitation, Western Pleasure, Buckaroo Class (rope with drag, Load in trailer and Hobble); Barrel Cloverleaf, Pole Bending, Keyhole Race.

Senior Division, (ages 14 to 18) first place overall winner was Macey Binning. Junior Division, (ages 8 to 13), first place overall winner was Sarah Gibbons; second place, Courtney Knoch; third place, Hannah Gibbons; fourth place, Alex McQuarrie; Fifth place Jamie Brazil; sixth place, Melissa Knoch; seventh place tie went to Kylee Iverson and Anna Estill and eighth place tie went to Madelyn Binning and Mathew Palomino; Greenhorn Division, (ages seven and under) saw Keith Nelson as first place overall winner, with Riley Lake in second place, Peter French in third place, Cody Nelson, fourth place, Kenzie Binning, fifth place, Blair Joanette, sixth place, Kayla Lake, seventh place and MaKayla Joanette, eighth place overall.

"It was a joy to watch each and everyone of these great kids riding their horses and having so much fun," described co-chairman Phil Vermillion "A special thanks to all of you, you made this show another success. Modoc County Sheriff’s Posse officers and members, we thank you too."

Byron Gibbons was announcer; Teri Brown was judge. Horse Show co-chairmen Chris Knoch and Phil Vermillion were assisted by Posse Officers Captain Mike Morgan, Lieutenant Mick Baldwin, Secretary/Treasurer, Jerry Wendland; First Director, Chuck Browning; Second Director, Roy Bell, Jr.; Third Director, John Looper.

June 15th, 2006

News

Final vote tally narrows for Sheriff

The final vote count in the race for Modoc County Sheriff narrowed to 101, with Mark Gentry getting 1,850 votes and Mike Poindexter getting 1,749. In the first unofficial results, Gentry had a lead of 125 votes.

Gentry gained support in the City of Alturas, while Poindexter had a lead in the rest of the county. Poindexter's campaign is considering, but has not yet made a decision, on whether to ask for a hand recount of the ballots.Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison said she plans on having the votes certified by the Board of Supervisors next Tuesday. Any challenges will have to be filed within five days of that certification.

Poindexter has reported some irregularities with the ballots and voting and is looking into the issues.
Gentry carried the four precincts in Alturas with a 619-447 vote margin. In total of the remaining precincts, Poindexter had a 1,302 to 1,231 lead.

Gentry won in the following precincts: Fort Bidwell 37-35; Cedarville 166-155; Alturas B 121-104; Alturas C 208-152; Alturas A 157-108; Alturas D 133-83; California Pines 98-94; Canby 82-34; Day 24-13; and Hot Spring 157-154.

Poindexter prevailed in these precincts: Lake City 55-37; Eagleville 45-34; State Line/Willow Ranch 34-31; North Fork 206-182; Parker Creek 80-58; South Fork 55-43; Adin 87-84; Lookout 80-55 and Newell 143-111.

A November runoff is probable in the District Attorney race between Gary Woolverton who received 1,552 votes for 44.38 percent, and Richard Cotta who received 1,042 votes, 29.80 percent. A candidate had to get 50 percent plus one vote to win in the primary. John Lawson received 885 votes for 25.31 percent.

Woolverton won the following precincts, with his vote total first, Cotta second and Lawson third: Cedarville 127-11-71; Eagleville 43-17-16; Davis Creek 26-22-14; North Fork 155-111-106; Alturas B 107-60-58; Alturas C 157-98-101; Alturas A 133-56-70; Alturas D 108-60-51; South Fork 40-29-24; Hot Spring 160-69-76; Adin 74-60-32; Lookout 53-45-28; Day 22-7-4; and Newell 112-58-64.
Cotta won the following precincts, listed Cotta, Woolverton and Lawson: Fort Bidwell 27-23-19; Lake City 43-27-20; Parker Creek 60-47-25 and Cal Pines 68-54-61.

David Bradshaw won his re-election to the District Five Supervisor seat with 399 votes to David Porter Misso's 205. Bradshaw won in Adin 129-41, in Lookout 118-18 and Day 33-4. Misso won the Newell vote 142-119.

In the race for County Superintendent of Schools, Gary Jones won with 1,973 votes to Dr. Vanston Shaw's 1,520.

Jones ran very well outside of Alturas and took the following precincts: Lake City 61-52; Cedarville 161-140; State Line Willow Ranch 38-22; North Fork 222-157; Alturas B 129-95; South Fork 58-30; Hot Spring 164-37; Cal Pines 102-84; Adin 102-54; Lookout 105-27; and Newell 205-50.
Shaw was favored in the following precincts: Ft. Bidwell 43-24; Alturas C 195-162; Alturas A 131-126; Alturas D 111-109; Parker Creek 71-63 and Canby 65-46.

Cheri Budmark won the Assessor position with 2,492 votes 70.14 percent to Ron Imbach's 1,059, 29.81 percent. Budmark won every precinct except Stateline/Willow Ranch and Newell.

The Surprise Valley Hospital District increase in the Hospital District assessment from $150 to $225 annually passed easily with 442 votes in favor and 118 against, for a 78.93 approval percentage. It needed 66 2/3 percent to pass.

Fort Bidwell voters liked the measure by a 52-16 margin; it passed in Cedarville 245 to 71, in Lake City 80-15 and in Eagleville 65-16.

Alturas voters were in favor of an increase of $1 per month to $1.50 for mosquito abatement, but not heavily enough in favor. It needed to pass by a two-third majority, but only received 60.06 percent in favor 636-423.

How Modoc voted in other races

Modoc County Democratic voters liked Steve Westly in the Governor's race by 53.85 percent and Phil Angelides got 25.05 percent. Statewide Angelides won the Democratic nomination.

Republicans liked Arnold Schwarzenegger by 82.37 percent and he'll face off against Angelides in November.

Modoc Democrats liked John Garamendi for Lt. Governor by 40.4 percent over Jackie Speier with 38.51 percent. The Republicans voted for Tom McClintock by a 91.54 percent margin. The pair will square off in November.

In the Secretary of State races, Democrats here liked Debra Bowen with 71.66 percent and Republicans liked Bruce McPherson with 99.27 percent.

Modoc Democrats voted for Jerry Brown to run for Attorney General with 54.4 percept of the vote. Republicans nominated Chuck Poochigian as their candidate,

Democrats liked Dianne Feinstein for another Senate term by 70.56 percent and Republicans here voted for Richard Mountjoy by 99.04 percent. They meet in November.

In the race for U.S. House of Representatives, Democrats liked Charlie Brown by 40.23 percent and the Republicans like incumbent John Doolittle by 79.11 percent.

Incumbent State Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa got 99.49 percent of the county's Republican vote while Democrat Mel Smith picked up 57.14 percent of the vote to compete in November.

Winegrapes, a study for Surprise Valley

It may not become Napa Valley Northeast, but there is possibility that growing winegrapes in Surprise Valley could be productive and a new venture for the strong-hearted.

Highly-respected, retired University of California, Davis Chemistry professor James Swinehart has been experimenting with a wide variety of Vitis vinifera (winegrape) grapes in Cedarville for the past six years. He purchased his Cedarville home in 1991. He and wife Lisl enjoy the Surprise Valley lifestyle. He had retired from teaching at UC Davis 13 years ago, having started there in 1963. In Davis he grew Zinfandel grapes.

And he's pleased with the grape study results, and in true professorial form, keeps exact records.
"I'm very confident that we can grow French-hybrid grapes here in the valley," the tall professor with a quick and engaging smile said. "We're experimenting with other grape varieties and many are doing quite well."One of the biggest issues facing potential winemakers in the area is the spring freezes, which are common. The shorter growing season and cooler weather will also make growing the grapes more difficult, but certainly not impossible.

Swinehart says he compares the Surprise Valley area favorably with a wine growing region in Yakima Valley, Washington. In addition, he sees similarities with some European wine growing regions.

The professor has about 100 vines growing in orderly fashion around his Cedarville home. They include, but are not limited to: Aurore, Baco noir, Pinot blanc, Merlot, Pinto noir, Gewurztraminer, Pinot gris, Pinot murnier, Riesling, Syrah and Welschriesling.

Swinehart said he doesn't see big wineries like those commanding the Napa Valley popping up in Surprise Valley. Rather, he envisions several smaller vineyard operators who could come together in a cooperative effort to make their wine.

He currently has a Grape Group of about 51 members whom he emails newsletters to on the results of his experiments and other wine growing news.

Experimental vineyards are planned with several areas in the Valley with Lake City being a prime spot. In addition, Modoc County Farm Advisor Don Lancaster and Swinehart are working together on a climate study throughout Surprise Valley. He said Lake City is intriguing because it seems to have wide varieties of microclimates and the geothermal resource prevalent there could have an effect.

"For instance in one area it can be freezing on one side of a creek, and warmer on the other side," Swinehart said.

Lancaster said the experiment is undertaken with the tenacity of Swinehart's science background for detail and research. He said the real advantage for Surprise Valley is that its growing season is about 125 days annually, compared to Alturas where it is about 95 days. That extra 30 days may mean winegrapes could grow to maturity and develop the sugar content necessary to make wine.

Swinehart and Lancaster are studying the climate, mainly looking for temperature and light intensity variations and extremes. They've positioned electronic sensors around the valley, and Lancaster said they'd have some pretty good preliminary data this fall.

"But as most people know a single year's worth of data is not sufficient in Modoc," Lancaster said. He said they will keep the monitors in place for some years to get solid trends. Lancaster also said the studies will be valuable for other agricultural crops in the area.

Swinehart believes the winegrapes can be grown well in most areas, but growers should stay away from the mouths of the large canyons coming out of the Warner Mountains. He thinks the grapes would do well in full sun, on primarily south-facing slopes on the western edge of the valley. The canyons serve as a wind tunnel for the very cold air flushing out of the high country.

"When we have the temperature study done we'll see a variety of micro-climates," Swinehart said. "It's exciting."

Climate has everything to do with winegrapes, especially in getting them to maturity and proper sugar content to actually make wine.

"Extreme cold and insufficient growing season are two problems to be considered before deciding whether to plant Vitis vinifera varieties and in selecting possible varieties for planting," Swinehart said.

Very low winter temperatures, which could kill the grape vine and freezing spring temperatures, which could kill leaves and shoots are the main issues.

Swinehart said vines can withstand periods of below zero degrees, but if the temperatures fall into the severe cold of -20 below, the vine could be killed. He believes if the vine is on its own rootstock, and protected by mulch or other cover, it could survive.

If the spring cold doesn't go below about 28 degrees, He said a water spray could protect the shoots and leaves. Colder freezes than 28, could cause some real problems, reducing and delaying the crop.
"As a typical example of what could happen, in the spring of 2005 bud burst was in the last week of May and by the first week of June there was substantial growth of shoots," he said. "On the 6th of June a cold front moved into northern California and southern Oregon and there was a NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) frost advisory for the area west of the Warner Mountains, but not for Surprise Valley. On the nights of June 7 and 8 respectively, I recorded minimum temperatures for Cedarville of 38 and 34 respectively. If the temperature had dropped much below 32 it would have been necessary to spray the vines with water to avoid freezing the shoots."

He recounts that on the night of June 8, it rained, so even had the temperature dropped to 32 or slightly lower, spraying would not have been necessary.

Swinehart correctly points out that the Surprise Valley area has not experienced killer colds of past decades, when winter mercury could fall into well below minus 25.

When it comes to the growing season, Swinehart compares Cedarville with Prosser, Wa., an established wine growing region and Geisenheim, Germany, Leibnitz, Austria.

"Except for slightly cooler spring temperature, the curve for Cedarville closely parallels those places," Swinehart points out.

Swinehart has made wines from his vineyard production. He said the French hybrids Aurore and Baco noir both reached maturity relatively early in the season and the Aurore made good wine, while the Baco noir tasted a little musty. He liked the wine from Pinot noir and Pinto blanc grapes. In addition the Merlot wine was good and his Gewurztraminer was judged good.

Swinehart also points out that most of his grapes are grown in areas of partial shade. If the grapes are grown in full sun, he feels they'll have a better chance at producing the required sugar content.
While the climate is the main issue for the Grape Group or budding viticulturist in Surprise Valley, the other control problems deal with deer, birds and insect damage, primarily the grape leafhopper.
The conclusions on wine growing in Surprise Valley are still a lesson to be learned, but the results will be well founded.

"Wine grapes have a way of bringing people together," said Swinehart,
not unlike their finished product.

Hassler sentenced to 15 years on child porn

A Canby man, Jonathan R. Hassler, 33, was sentenced June 9 to 15-and-a-half years in prison followed by seven years of supervised release in a child pornography case.

The defendant pleaded guilty to distributing material involving the sexual abuse of minors through the internet in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2242(A)(2), on January 20, 2006.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn Delaney, who prosecuted the case, United States District Judge Garland E. Burrell, Jr., said the sentence was appropriate to act as a deterrent and to ensure the safety of the community.

The case is a product of an extensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Redding.

Deena's transplant progress better than expected

No prognosis will be offered for another four months, which will mark six-months after seven-year-old Deena Bhavindhu's bone marrow transplant in April 2006 at University of California San Francisco.

Deena's recovery is surprising even the head of Hematology and Oncology at UCSF, Dr. Cooper, who meets weekly with the team of doctors on Deena's medical case. The Pediatric Oncology Department at UCSF is using Deena's situation as a case study as well, while Deena continues to be doing well.

Family friend Ginger Murray of Redding, whose husband Ken is the Mayor of Redding, told the Modoc Record Wednesday morning, that Deena was moved out of the hospital and into an independent home where she has been staying for a month, just across from UCSF. She is eating well and has recovered well enough and is gaining her strength back so that short outings are possible (in a car) and on occasion has taken walks for "fresh air," but wears a mask to prevent any chance of infection and a pink wheelchair accompanies those outings, just in case she tires.
She had bleeding in the brain prior to her physically-draining three days of chemotherapy and radiation treatments needed to kill her bone marrow and prepare her for the transplant she received April 20. Following the transplant, she developed a rash, which was a deep cause for concern, but has recovered.

"The good news is that Deena's platelets are higher than they've ever been," offers Murray.
Doctors had said, at best, the bone marrow transplant had only a 50 percent chance of success. They attribute some of Deena's recovery to her healthy status before she had treatments.

"The doctors have said Deena is doing extremely well," described Murray, while planning a June 22 fund raiser to help defray medical expenses for Deena's family, Nipa and Dino Bhavindhu, owners of Nipa's California Cuisine in Alturas and a restaurant in Redding. Nipa has been staying with Deena, while Dino keeps the Redding business operating and parents their twin daughter and son Nicole and Jamie.

"The family is very proud and they have insurance," said Murray, who adds that without Nipa helping at the business, business has slowed. City of Redding residents have rallied around the family through blood drives, fund raisers, donations and prayers. Murray said she knows Modoc residents care about Deena and she plans to welcome Modoc residents for the June 22 Spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Deena on Thursday, June 22 at 5:30 p.m. at Lassen View School, 705 Loma Vista, (between Bechelli and Churn Creek Rd.) in Redding. The Sons of Italy and Italian Chef Dave McGeorge and friends will cook the Spaghetti dinner served at 6 p.m. for $10 per person. Redding Mayor Ken Murray and Skip Tyler will call the live auction at 7 p.m. and feature such big auction opportunities as an airplane ride for two, a hunting trip and fishing trip and much more. Proceeds will help defray expenses incurred related to the transplant. Murray is also putting together a slide show about Deena. And Dr. Cooper is thinking about flying from Fresno to attend the June 22 fund raiser, as are the doctors in Redding who treated Deena through her many platelet transfusions and medical issues, prior to any idea of a bone marrow transplant – the last hope.

Deena's hair is starting to grow back, as she lost all her hair after chemo treatments. She "loves" her new "reddish tinted wig," which she wears from time to time, said Murray.

"Everybody in Redding has fallen in love with this little girl and her family," said Murray. Deena's doctors have said she may be able to return home after July 3 or 4, but she will be homebound for six months to a year. In the meantime, Murray and the Bhavindhus know that at any time, Deena's recovery can take a turn for the worse, but everyone is hoping for a miracle.

Obituaries:

Jeanie Ann Haas

Alturas-born resident Jeanie Ann Haas, 61, passed away at her home in Medford, OR on June 9, 2006. Chapel services will be held Friday, June 16 at 1 p.m. at Perl Chapel, 2100 Siskiyou Blvd. in Medford.

Jeanie was born September 19, 1944 to John Herman Royce and Florence Ruth Goodknight at Modoc Medical Center in Alturas, CA. She graduated from Modoc High School and married Gary J. Haas September 30, 1961 in Klamath Falls, OR. Mrs. Haas had an outgoing personality and was a well-liked server at California Pines Lodge Restaurant for a number of years. She was featured in a 1970s issue of the California Pines Log publication for property owners. The Haas family relocated to Medford, OR in 1973. Mrs. Haas continued to work with the public in the retail grocery business as a clerk at Van Weys in Central Point; Food4Less, Fair City Market and Raimey's Corner Market in Medford until due to her declining health, she retired young.

"She was Gary's commanding officer for 44 years," say family members. Jeanie loved music, gardening, camping, boating and her family.

She was preceded in death by her daughter Teresa L. Haas and her parents.

She is survived her husband of 44 years, Gary J. Haas of Medford, OR; son Patrick Elden Haas of Medford; father-in-law Jerome P. Haas, Medford; brother Robert Elden DeWitt of Alturas, CA; sisters Maudie L. Smith, Klamath Falls, OR and sister Joanie L. Cummings, Reno, NV. and one grandchild.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Asanté Hospice, 2960 Park Drive, Medford, OR. 97504.

Service for 'Criss' Clark

Friends and family members of Cristal "Criss" Clark will gather in his memory at the Alturas Cemetery on Saturday, June 17 at 2 p.m. for a graveside service. Mr. Clark, a resident of Modoc County for 76 years, passed away December 21, 2005 in Alturas, CA. He was 83. He was born in New Pine Creek, OR.

His wife Phyllis, of almost 60 years, resides in Alturas, CA.

Donations in his memory may be directed to the American Heart Association, 1372 Longfellow Ave., Chico, CA 95926 or the Alzheimer's Society of Northern California, P.O. Box 1824, Sacramento, CA 95812.

Sports

Hight 2nd to Force

Alturas' Robert Hight placed second to teammate and father-in-law John Force at Sunday's Carquest Auto Parts National Hot Rod Association Funny Car finals.

According to the NHRA, Hight had qualified fourth at 4.685 seconds and 328.06 m.p.h. and beat Gary Densham, points leader Ron Capps and reigning POWERade Funny Car World Champion Gary Scelzi on his way to the finals. He had run the lowest ET of every round during eliminations.

"I had the low EWT every round," Hight said. "We tried to go for the record in the final. We didn't have anything to lose. Crew Chief Jimmy Prock thought he had some of the problems worked out and it was on a great run at 330 feet. It had everything in it, but it was hurting before half-track. I still stayed with it. It wasn't until my blower belt came off that he (Force) got around me. It was kind of an odd race."

It was racing legend Force's 120th win of his career. The win moved him up to just 48 points behind leader Capps. Hight is in third place, 186 points back. Force team member Eric Medlen is in fourth place, 229 points back.

Lasso a Modoc Tradition

Once again, the Modoc County town of Cedarville will reverberate with the exciting sights and sounds of the 10th Annual Super Bull Rodeo as spectators flock to the District Fairgrounds for a night of buckin'broncs, bull ridin' and mutton bustin' fun!

On Saturday, June 24 competitors from the tri-state region will begin thrilling spectators at 6:00 p.m. The event will climax with the always-popular "Short Go" where the top six bull riders will compete for a grand cash prize.

Super Bull tickets are $12 if purchased at one of many local outlets, including Page's Market, Napa Auto Parts, Cedarville Grocery, Western Irrigation, and Arnew's Custom Saddlery in Cedarville, at Napa Auto Parts, L&B Ranch Supply, Seab's True Value, and Jay's Clothing in Alturas, or at Jack's General Store in Eagleville. Those from out of the area may also order pre-sale tickets by calling (530) 279-6383.

Tickets are $15 at the gate with children 7 and under entering free.
Fifteen local competitors from ages 4 through 8 will have the chance to fulfill their dreams of becoming rodeo stars by entering the night's "Mutton Busting" competition. Each will receive a special tee shirt and the chance to win a prize, not to mention experiencing the thrill that comes with hanging on tight to a sheep that wants to buck them off as the crowd roars its approval.

The fairground gates open at 5:00 p.m. so come early and come hungry. Volunteers from the Greater Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce will be grilling burgers and hot dogs and serving up nachos, freshly-spun cotton candy, and a wide assortment of snack items at the concession stand near the arena
Members of the Cedarville Volunteer Fire Department will also be on hand outside the grandstands, dousing any raging thirsts with ice cold beer and other beverages. They are also hosting an old-fashioned barn dance from 8 PM until "everyone has had their fill of dancing!" Admission is $5.
"This year we have a live band, "Goin' South" from Alturas", reports volunteer fireman Dan Brown. There will also be a full bar available for those attending.

Rodeo, a truly unique American original, evolved from early community celebrations throughout the West when ranch hands vied to outdo each other for fun and entertainment as they demonstrated the roping and riding skills they used every day on the job. Today, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association reports that rodeo is among the top three fastest-growing sports nationwide with over 23 million fans annuallycongregating in grandstands across America.

Once again, Ed and Darrel Hill of H & H Rodeo Company are staging the local event enjoyed by all. But the sponsoring Super Bull Committee, which meets throughout the year to plan this one exciting night, is comprised of hard-working volunteers from throughout Modoc County. President Rick Milton is joined on the committee by Vice President Edie Asrow, Secretary-Treasurer Diana Milton, and Skip Arnew, Dave, Sharon and K. Cee Boneck, Penni Borghi, Chuck Colas, Jim and Erin Erquiaga, Mike and Kelley Poindexter, Alan and Heather Pratt, and Lynette Sullivan.

Les Schwab Tires is sponsoring the prized silver belt buckle awarded to the Bronc Champion while Surprise Valley Auto Parts and Napa Auto Parts of Alturas are donating the top bull rider's silver buckle.
Committee members are selling raffle tickets for three $500 cash prizes. Funds raised from the sale of 500 tickets at $10 each help underwrite the high cost of the event and provide for annual scholarships awarded to graduating seniors who reside within Modoc County.

During last week's Surprise Valley High School graduation ceremony, the Bull Committee awarded $500 scholarships to seniors Amy Alexander and Sarah Teuscher.

Raffle tickets may be purchased from any Super Bull committee member. If less than 500 are sold before the event begins, the remaining tickets will be offered during the rodeo.

Children who'd like to compete in the mutton busting competition should register by calling 279-6383. There is no charge to enter although spaces are limited. Contestants for other events may also call the same number.dland; First Director, Chuck Browning; Second Director, Roy Bell, Jr.; Third Director, John Loope

BV host softball tourney

The Hoss Salters Memorial Fast Pitch Softball tournament will be held during Big Valley Days on June 24-25 in Adin.

Teams wishing to participate should contact Bryan Gerig at 530-294-5626 or Jim Carpenter at 520-294 5621.

June 22nd, 2006

News

Bradbury says he had nothing to do with Betty Lou

Chris Bradbury, who has been charged with the 1992 murder of Betty Lou Parks, told the Record Monday during an interview in the Modoc County Jail that he had nothing to do with her death.
"I never met Betty Lou Parks and I don't know anything about her death," Bradbury said. "I feel sorry for the girls' parents. They're thinking they have some closure, but there's no closure, I'm not connected to her death and I'm not guilty. If I'm convicted of this, they'll be convicting an innocent man and the killers would still be out there. There's no closure in that."

Bradbury said he has difficulty believing the legal system could arrest someone and charge him or her with murder on hearsay alone. He said the evidence against him is just testimony from his ex-wife, based upon things she said he told her. He said she's making up the story and piecing things together from what she's learned about the case through the Internet and from articles.

"I can tell you this though, I'm scared to death," he said. "I'm in here looking at a life sentence for something I didn't do. This case is all based upon hearsay, there is no physical evidence against me."
Bradbury has a hearing Friday on whether he'll be tried as a juvenile or adult.

Following a Department of Justice Investigation into the case, the Redding investigators sought murder charges against Bradbury. Bradbury said much of the case is centers around the testimony of his ex-wife, who said Bradbury told her he and some friends went swimming at the Pit River Bridge east of Alturas and Parks went with them. She said one of Bradbury's friends struck Parks with a rock at that site and that Bradbury "finished her off."

Bradbury first got wind that he was being implicated in the case three years ago when contacted by DOJ. He told the investigators at the time he knew nothing about the issue. Over two years ago, he and his wife had a serious falling out and he left primarily for financial reasons. His wife told him she was going to make his "life hell" and reported her suspicions to DOJ.DOJ contacted him again and said they had statements from his wife that implicated him in the Parks murder. He again denied any knowledge. He was arrested in May and brought to Modoc.

Bradbury has no criminal record as an adult. When he was 17 he was sent to the group home in Redding on drug charges where he met his ex-wife, who was an employee of the home. Bradbury said his ex-wife needs the $50,000 reward and he feels that's why she is implicating him.

"I don't know what happened to Betty Lou Parks," he said. "I don't know anything about her death or who may have killed her. I have heard all the rumors like everyone else. But I can't help solve this. And it's not going to be solved by convicting me, I had nothing to do with it."

Bradbury has a 14-month old son with a different woman in Redding whom he has been with for two years. He said his son and fiancé are the most important parts of his life. If he knew anything about the case that would help and set him free, he said he'd help. He just can't.

"I wish people would understand, I'm not a bad person, I'm really a nice guy," Bradbury said. "There' no record ever of me hurting another person. You can't find one person that I've physically harmed. This is a nightmare."

Bradbury has worked at an air-conditioning business for the past 14 years.

Parks was 14 years old when she disappeared from Alturas June 25, 1992. Her remains were not recovered until May 16, 1993 on an isolated Modoc Estates lot. DNA tests confirmed the remains were Betty Lou's on Oct. 12, 1993. Further examination confirmed the cause of death as blunt force trauma.

Bradbury was age 17 years old at the time of the crime.

The arrest came about through an investigation by the California Department of Justice.
The case was turned over to the DOJ about four years ago as a "cold case" file, in hopes that they might be able to break through the deadlock. According to the DOJ, the arrest was the result of "old-fashioned police work" as the leads they uncovered all pointed in Bradbury's direction.

While neither the DOJ nor Funk would say much about the details of the investigation, DOJ investigators have said the case is not closed with the arrest of Bradbury.

Bradbury apparently moved to Modoc with his family in 1982, but had been gone from the area and worked in the Redding area.

Local law enforcement officials say they don't remember much contact with Bradbury when he did live here. Rumors ran fairly rampant around the community concerning the case and Bradbury's name never came to the forefront.

Parks disappeared after telling her mother she was going to a friend's house for the night, while the family went on a fishing trip.

The Alturas Police Department originally handled the case. There were complications during the first year, because several reports of sightings of Betty Lou in various locations came in to police. They ran down those leads down, some from her relatives, but to no avail. When her body was found in Modoc Estates by a hiker, the Sheriff's Office took over the case because it was in county jurisdiction.

Motorcycle crash kills pair

A motorcycle driver and his passenger were killed June 17, 2:30 p.m. in an accident on U.S. 395 south of County Road 133B.

The California Highway Patrol reports that Michael Hueur, age 66, of Vancouver, Wa. was driving a 2004 Honda motorcycle northbound, following a 1996 Ford, towing a two-axle stock trailer driven by Patrick Fields, 34, of Alturas.

Fields had slowed and signaled to make a left-hand turn into a driveway on the west side of the highway. Hueur was traveling at about 67-70 m.p.h. and apparently did not see Field's signal as he moved into the left lane to pass the pickup and trailer.

Just as Hueur made his move into the southbound lane to pass, Fields began to make a left turn into the driveway. Hueur braked and turned the motorcycle to the right, but it fell onto its right side and slid into the left rear side of the stock trailer. Hueur and a passenger, Sung Cha Enquist, age 67, Vancouver, Wa., were thrown to the ground and suffered fatal injuries.

Full line up of fun for Fandango '06

Modoc's Independence Day celebration will kick off in a big way next weekend, with a "Wild, Wild West," theme for the annual Fandango 2006 Fourth of July parade and celebration staged in Alturas.

Classic cars will fill the streets, music for dancing will take over the evenings at locations throughout Alturas both Friday and Saturday.

Friday night, June 30 will open festivities with a "Family Street Dance" from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Walt's Market parking lot off Main Street, Alturas. Music to be provided by the reunion of local band "Big Sage." Kids and families welcome. Walt's Market will be open. Dances will also be starting at 9 p.m. at Benny's with DJ Nick and at Desert Rose Casino featuring the Ray Atkinson Band.

On Saturday, July 1, register between 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. at Veterans' Park, to ride in the "Modoc Bicycle Loop Ride" which starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and takes a 12.5-mile loop past Dorris Reservoir. Modoc Parks and Recreation District, Families Matter and H.A.N.D. will co-sponsor this event, with ribbons to the first three finishers in each category and certificates to all who finish.

Riders who return in time may ride as a unit in the Fandango Day Parade. Registration is $10 for adults; ages 13-19, $5; ages 12 and under, $1. Pre-registration will be accepted at Child and Family Resource Center, 809 West Eighth St. and Altec Engineering, 1036 N. Main, Alturas.

Fandango Parade entries will be judged at 9 a.m. July 1. Winners will receive their ribbons prior to the start of the parade. Those who have submitted parade entry forms, should line up before 9 a.m. at the new location of Eighth and Main Streets, Alturas. Parade Sweepstakes winner will take home $100 in Alturas Bucks.

The Fandango Parade will start on Saturday, July 1 at 11 a.m. on Alturas' Main Street offering a real taste of small town, USA and attracting many parade entries. The Alturas Chamber of Commerce organizes Fandango each year and this year Chamber President and Parade Organizer Penny Cruse welcomes the public to enjoy this special weekend.

By Saturday morning and the start of the annual parade, the population of Alturas swells, as families and former Modoc residents return to the area for reunions and the good, old-fashioned gathering at the Veterans' Memorial Park off South Main Street, following the parade.

Carol Sharp of Alturas has been selected as Fandango Grand Marshal.

U.S. Cellular will sponsor the Classic Car Show hosted by Alturas Elks Lodge 1756 B.P.O.E. in Rachel Dorris Park beginning at noon. View the beautiful local and visiting entries and stop by the Elks Lodge concession stand for a Polish hot dog on a stick and a soda. Classic Car Show entry forms are available from Frank's Carpets in Alturas, Jim Rollins at 530-640-8740 or from organizer Dave Hohman (530) 640-0164 of Alturas Elks Lodge.

Fandango Park booth coordinator Val Flournoy said booths will line the park with vendors, food concessions, games and a Kids' Corner for games on the east end of the park, organized by Repin' For The Lord church youth group and sponsored by the Chamber. Contact Val at 640-0588 for park booth information.

The Alturas Lions Club will serve their popular pit-barbecued beef meal, starting at noon on the park patio. (Last year's price was $7 per person).

The Alturas Chamber will have a booth filled with Chamber souvenir items such as Alturas license frames, hats, cups, t-shirts and Fandango sports bottles ( a new item this year). The Chamber booth will also offer tickets for the fundraiser drawing which will take place later in the afternoon. Tickets are $5 for "big ticket" prize packages – first prize, a home entertainment package valued at $800; second prize, an outdoor/camping, fishing package valued at $700 and third prize, a gas grill and grocery package valued at $600.

The Modoc Sheriff's Posse will sponsor a Horseshoe Tournament on the east end of the Classic Car Show at the horseshoe pits. Participants are asked to pre-register by calling Roy Bell at 233-5255. A donation of $10 is requested for each entrant. Entrants are asked to check the tournament board at the horseshoe pit site after the Fandango Parade for match times. Matches are expected to proceed through the day, consecutively at five pits with "grudge" matches interspersed throughout the day.

Teams will be randomly chosen from registered players. Posse members will be in uniform to serve as tourney officials following A.H.P.A. rules. Grudge match registration will be accepted before and during the tournament. Entries will be accepted by mail to the Modoc Sheriff's Posse, P.O. Box 1408, Alturas, CA 96101.

Tickets for the Chamber's Cow Pie Bingo will be offered until that event.

"Heartless" will provide live music on the Veterans' Park stage during the afternoon. Diagonal vehicle parking will be available on Water Street this year and County Road 56 which dissects the Rachel Dorris Park from Veterans' Park, will be closed to through traffic to allow the public to safely cross between both sides of the park.

Saturday night, California Pines will draw the crowds to California Pines Lake to view the fireworks display at dusk. The display is provided by the California Pines Property Owners Association and is a highlight of the weekend celebration. A buffalo barbecue meal will be served to the public starting at 2 p.m.

Desert Rose Casino will host a dance with the Ray Atkinson Band providing the tunes starting at 9 p.m. at the casino.

Park booth reservation applications and parade entry forms are now available to the public at Main Street Coffee, Top Hat Entertainment, Seab's True Value and the Alturas Chamber Office at 522 So. Main St., Alturas.

June Jamboree on track for June 24

The second annual Friends of the Library June Jamboree, benefiting the Modoc County Library Improvement Fund project, is June 24 at Steve and Cheryl Baker's Railway Garden on Pine Creek Blvd.

The fun-filled family day, highlighted by rides on Bakers' Argo Gold Mine train, includes the following activities: tours of a Blacksmith Shop, Assay Office, exotic bird aviary, a Bayou Cabin, Honeymoon Cottage and take in the Potting Shed to see additional displays of memorabilia from the 1800s.

There will also be a book sale, lively musical entertainment, self-guided garden tours, boating, an antiques and collectible sale, gold panning and cowboy poetry.

Tickets will not be sold at the gate and are limited to 280. Tickets are available for $12 each at the Modoc County Library. The ticket also includes a hamburger barbecue meal. A parent or adult must accompany all children.

Train rides are scheduled for 9:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11 a.m., 11:45 a.m. 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:15. Baker stresses, unlike Amtrak, his train schedule runs on time so people should arrive early for their rides.

A concession stand will be open throughout the day and tickets will be available for chances to win summer fun packages. Those items are on display at Plumas Bank in Alturas. And tickets are available for those packages there.

Obituaries:

Frank Hartkopf

Former Modoc resident Frank Hartkopf died February 2, 2006 at the Madigan Army Hospital at Fort Lewis, Wa., of natural causes. He was a resident of Spanaway, Wa.

He was born December 27, 1924 in Oakland, Ca., and graduated from Stockton High. He was married to Margaret Plimmer Feb. 12, 1945 in England. Mr. Hartkopf was educated at the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs and served in the Air Force during World War II making it a career, being discharged June 30, 1964.

He spent 22 years in Modoc County where he owned and operated the Canby Hotel and Bar, served as Activities Director for the Senior Center and owned Something Fishy pet store in Alturas with his son Matt. He also was Alturas' Santa Claus for several years. While in Modoc, he served on the planning commission for seven years and was on the grand jury for two years. He had been gone from Modoc for the past nine years.

Mr. Hartkopf is survived by children Margaret Hartkopf, Pleasanton, Ca., Matt Hartkopf, Spanaway, Wa., Evan Hartkopf, Spanaway, Theresa Witcomb, Sacramento, Julia Hartkopf, Pleasanton, Frank Hartkopf, Jr., Chicago; grandchildren Donna Hawley, Spanaway, Becky Snyder. Puyallup, Wa., Jeremy Snyder, Eatonville, Wa., Blake Hartkopf, Spanaway, Wa., Jake Hartkopf, Spanaway; great-grandchildren Hailey and Raela Grace Snyder of Spanaway.

He loved the people of Modoc and loved life itself. He will be missed.

Mr. Hartkopf was buried at the Tacoma National Cemetery in Tacoma, Wa.

Fred Bailey

Fred Bailey, a lifelong Modocer, passed away at his home on June 17, 2006 at the age of 83. He was born on November 29, 1922 in Alturas to Lloyd and Olive Bailey.

Fred attended school at Davis Creek and Alturas, graduating from Modoc High School in 1941. Afterward, he worked for the U.S. Forest Service as an Engine Foreman in Canby prior to joining the Armed Services. He enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1943, and was stationed at Hawaii, Portland, and Seattle. He was a Gunner's Mate, and was discharged in Seattle in 1945.

Fred returned to Alturas following World War II and worked for Ebbe Ice and Fuel, Modoc Cash Grocery, and then as a truck driver delivering Shell Oil products. He retired in 1984 at the age of 62.
Fred and Anna Jane Essex were married on June 15, 1946 and celebrated their 60th anniversary two days prior to his death. They have two sons, Jerry of Yreka, Calif. and Paul of Alturas.

Fred was an outdoorsman his entire life; he loved to hunt and fish. He was an accomplished shooter with both rifles and shotguns, and was also an expert fly-fisherman. He enjoyed shooting trap, skeet, and sporting clays. He continued shooting until ill health forced him to stop earlier this year. Fred had a long involvement with the Alturas Rife and Pistol Club, where he shot in the old indoor small-bore league. He was also an original instructor of the Hunter Safety program, which he taught for thirty years. Fred was also a "water witch;" he located dozens of wells around the area with his sticks and divining rods. He also liked to camp and build big campfires.

Fred was always active in the community: he was a Little League Coach; a Trustee on the Modoc Joint Unified School Board; a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the National Rifle Association; a charter member of the Elks Club, an officer in the Odd Fellows; Past President of the Alturas Rifle and Pistol Club; and a regular in a weekly Poker game.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Doug Bailey. He is survived by his son Jerry and his wife Rhonda of Yreka, Paul of Alturas, and four grandchildren: Kyle, Erin Clayton, and Bryan of Yreka, and Adam of Washington, D.C., as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
A gathering of friends and family will be held at the Sacred Heart Parish Hall in Alturas on Saturday, June 24th at 11 a.m., and will be followed by a potluck to celebrate Fred's life.

Rose Marie Caldwell

Rose Marie Caldwell, 89, passed away peacefully at her home in Sacramento, CA on Monday, June 5, 2006, with her caregiver, granddaughter Lynne, at her side.

Rose was born in Sacramento on July 6, 1916 to Edwin and Aloma (Hoppe) Dole. She attended schools in Sacramento. In 1937, she married Everett "Bud" Caldwell and moved to the family ranch in Canby where she spent the next 41 years as a homemaker and mother. She enjoyed cat fishing at "wide waters" in the Pit River and was an avid gardener.

Rose was preceded in death by her husband "Bud" in 1973, and in 1978, she moved back to Sacramento. She loved spending time in her garden during the summer, and until 2001, she traveled in her motor home during the winter months to "the slabs" in southern California.

Rose was also preceded in death by brother Vern Dole of Sacramento and sister Dorothy Morgan of Salinas, CA. Survivors include her son Richard "Dick" Caldwell of Alturas, CA; daughter Carolyne "Cookie" Sloss of Carson City, Nevada; grandchildren Karen Caldwell and Vicki Weigand of Redding, Rick Caldwell of Sparks, NV, Dale Sloss of Penryn, Lynn Sex of Roseville and Pam Cruzan of Redding. She also leaves 11 great-grandchildren.

At Rose's request there were no services. A family gathering was held in Alturas on June 14.

Samuel Arthur Harris

Graveside services for Samuel Arthur Harris, 80, of Eagleville, will be held Saturday, June 24 at 11 a.m. at the Eagleville Cemetery. The Rev. Dr. Ben Zandstra will officiate. Immediately following the service, please join the family for a tri-tip barbecue and potluck of salads and desserts at the Eagleville Community Hall.

Mr. Harris passed away after a brief illness on June 20, 2006, at the Surprise Valley Hospital in Cedarville.

Mr. Harris was born September 16, 1925 at his family ranch in Eagleville, CA. Sam as he was known to his family, was the son of Arthur and Etta Harris. He attended local schools and when his father passed away in 1941, he worked on the family ranch. In 1950, Sam was drafted in to the U.S. Army and was stationed at Fort Ord for two years. After his discharge he returned to Eagleville to work on the family ranch with his mother Etta and brother Joe. In 1958, he married Louis McGarva and they made their home in Eagleville until they retired to live in Cedarville. Louise preceded Sam in death in 1995.

Sam helped his community by serving on the fire department and working for numerous years at the annual Eagleville Barbecue. He spent his life working with his brother on their ranch in Eagleville, where he was content with the way of life that a ranch offered.

Later in life, after retiring, his trademark was to "make the rounds" from Cedarville to Eagleville to Alturas and back, visiting and learning news of friends and foe. In these travels, if it was possible for him to make a trade for stoves, wood or tools, he would do it; then hang onto them and later sell them for double. It wasn't that he needed the money, but it was the fun of the trade that he loved.
Mr. Harris is survived by his brother and sister-in-law Joe and Nelda Harris of Eagleville, CA; his nephew Lindsey and wife Barbara Harris of Fernley, NV. and their children Tina, Sandy and Lacey Harris; niece Mona Loftus and husband Tom of Anderson, CA and their children Rebecca and Jeff Barnes.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the American Diabetes Association or the Surprise Valley Community Hospital, P.O. Box 246, Cedarville, CA 96104. Kerr Mortuary has charge of arrangements.

Alice Warrens Wylie

Former Cedarville resident Alice Warrens Wylie passed away June 2, 2006 in her Escondido home following a cerebral hemorrhage suffered 10 days previous to her death. With the assistance of Hospice Care she was able to leave the hospital four days before she died and be in the serenity of her home, surrounded by the family she so loved.

Alice was a 45-year resident of Modoc County before moving to Escondido, CA. She was born at the Warrens family ranch near Soldier Creek on January 9, 1917. She attended her first years of grammar school by horseback at the Forty-nine Schoolhouse. Alice graduated from Surprise Valley Union High School in 1935 and went on to attend U.C. Berkeley for two years, before transferring to what was then the College of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. There she pursue her love of piano at the college's Conservatory of Music, graduating in 1939 with a degree in music.

Anyone who has ever heard Alice play the piano knows she had a God-given talent. She could hear a song on the radio that was new to her and sit down and play it. With that talent, she entertained many over the years. She was an original member of The Rhythmaires, a local orchestra that played for numerous dances in and beyond Modoc County in the 1950s. She could have easily pursued a professional musical career, and was encouraged to do so by her university professors, but she chose instead to marry the one and only love of her life, Dean Wylie, and return to Modoc County to embark on their life together.

Alice married Kesner Dean Wylie on February 19, 1938, in Carson City, Nevada. She and Dean were not only devoted and loving parents of three children, but they also worked side by side to build several successful businesses together. Their first was the Wylie Pharmacy in Cedarville, established in 1940. When Dean joined the Navy during World War II in 1942 as a commissioned officer, Alice ran the store without him. The Valley's physician Dr. Kennedy, would come over every evening and check the prescriptions that Alice had filled from his orders that day. Alice proved to be a capable businesswoman in her own right, but she would drop everything when Dean's ship came into port in San Francisco and rush down to be with him, several times departing Cedarville in a blinding snowstorm.

After the war, Alice and Dean began their family. Allen Dean Wylie was born in 1945, Carol Ann Wylie joined them in 1949, and Alice Jan Wylie completed the family in 1952. The 1950s were happy, carefree time for the children, and they cherish the childhood that Alice and Dean provided for them. Nonetheless, it didn't come without sacrifices from the couple who not only worked long, hard hours in their drugstore business but also tracked the stock market on a daily basis and tried to make wise investment decisions.

The family moved to Escondido in 1962 where they established another pharmacy together. Always a lover of land and ranching, Alice encouraged Dean in his desire to acquire the 103 acres of raw land they purchased in the 1970s, which they cleared and planted with avocado trees and named Cloveridge Ranch. With much effort and sustained energy, even in their latter years, they built Cloveridge Ranch into a successful avocado business and ran it side-by-side until Dean's death in 2004 when Alice lost her beloved husband of 66 years. Until the last years of Dean's life, when traveling became too burdensome, one of their greatest pleasures was getting in the car and driving back to Surprise Valley to visit family, friends and the roots that had nourished them both from their earliest years.

Alice is survived by her son, Allen and wife Beverly of Portland, OR; daughter Ann Odgers and husband Gary of Cedarville; daughter Jan Compton and husband Skip of Escondido; a sister Florence Warrens Hedgpeth of Portland, OR; and seven loving grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held graveside at the Cedarville Cemetery July 15, 2006, at 7 p.m. The family suggests donations to the Surprise Valley Community Church or the Hospice of your choice.

Barbara Marshall Hoffman

Barbara Almeda Hoffman died at the Lake District Long Term Care Facility in Lakeview, OR on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 at the age of 77, after a long illness. The funeral service was held at the Church of the Open Bible in Lakeview on Monday, June 19. The Rev. Dan St. Clair officiated. Interment will be at the Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, CA.

Barbara was born on January 17, 1929 in Marshalltown, Iowa to the late Oral and Stella (Robison) Blake. She graduated from Marshalltown High School and went on to graduate from Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in Des Moines, Iowa. She received her MA in Counseling from Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA.

Barbara worked as a registered nurse in almost every field, in Iowa, California and Oregon. As a missionary in Korea, she worked with Holt International.

She married Glenn Marshall in Marshalltown, Iowa in 1950. He died while they were living in Madeline in 1985. They had moved to Madeline from Southern California in 1982 and while there, she worked for Modoc County Mental Health as a counselor. She them moved to Lakeview, OR wand was involved with Lakeview Ministries as a Counselor.

Barbara married Bill Hoffmann on June 14, 1991, in the orchard on his Westside ranch. She continued her counseling career, in private practice, in her ranch home.

She and Bill moved back to Madeline in 2000 and returned to Lakeview due to health reasons.
She is survived by her husband Bill of Lakeview, OR; son and daughter-in-law, Kirby and Caryn Marshall of Darien, Connecticut; daughter Marla Fox of Fredrick, Maryland; sons Steven Marshall of Des Moines, Iowa and Ted Marshall of Whittier, CA; daughters and sons-in-law, Beth and John Corcoran of Darien, Connecticut, and Terri and Jim Bailey of Chicago, Illinois; nine grandchildren, two great-grandsons, four brothers, step-children, Crystal Langbehn of Aloha, OR, Ann Vallier of Woodland, CA, Doug Hoffman of Beaverton, OR; Laura Hoffman of West Lost Angeles and Lisa Powell of Lakeview; seven step-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, first husband Glenn Marshall, brothers Wallace and Roger and son-in-law Butch Fox.

Contributions in the memory of Mrs. Hoffman may be made to Holt International, P.O. Box 2880, Eugene, OR 97402 or to a charity of the donor's choice.

Dorothy Knauss Babcock

Local services for former Alturas resident Dorothy Knauss Babcock are pending.
Mrs. Babcock passed away in Ukiah, CA on Monday, June 19, 2006. A complete obituary will be published in a future issue.

Sports

Super Bull bucks off Saturday

The 10th Annual Super Bull Rodeo is set at the Modoc District Fairgrounds in Cedarville for a night of bull ridin' and mutton bustin' fun!

On Saturday, June 24 competitors from the tri-state region will begin thrilling spectators at 6 p.m. The event will climax with the always-popular "Short Go" where the top six bull riders will compete for a grand cash prize.

Super Bull tickets are $12 if purchased at one of many local outlets, including Page's Market, Napa Auto Parts, Cedarville Grocery, Western Irrigation, and Arnew's Custom Saddlery in Cedarville, at Napa Auto Parts, L&B Ranch Supply, Seab's True Value, and Jay's Clothing in Alturas, or at Jack's General Store in Eagleville. Those from out of the area may also order pre-sale tickets by calling (530) 279-6383.
Tickets are $15 at the gate with children 7 and under entering free.

Fifteen local competitors from ages 4 through 8 will have the chance to fulfill their dreams of becoming rodeo stars by entering the night's "Mutton Busting" competition. Each will receive a special tee shirt and the chance to win a prize, not to mention experiencing the thrill that comes with hanging on tight to a sheep that wants to buck them off as the crowd roars its approval.

The fairground gates open at 5:00 p.m. so come early and come hungry. Volunteers from the Greater Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce will be grilling burgers and hot dogs and serving up nachos, freshly-spun cotton candy, and a wide assortment of snack items at the concession stand near the arena
Members of the Cedarville Volunteer Fire Department will also be on hand outside the grandstands, dousing any raging thirsts with ice cold beer and other beverages. They are also hosting an old-fashioned barn dance from 8 PM until "everyone has had their fill of dancing!" Admission is $5.

"This year we have a live band, "Goin' South" from Alturas", reports volunteer fireman Dan Brown. There will also be a full bar available for those attending.

Rodeo, a truly unique American original, evolved from early community celebrations throughout the West when ranch hands vied to outdo each other for fun and entertainment as they demonstrated the roping and riding skills they used every day on the job. Today, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association reports that rodeo is among the top three fastest-growing sports nationwide with over 23 million fans annually congregating in grandstands across America.

Once again, Ed and Darrel Hill of H & H Rodeo Company are staging the local event enjoyed by all. But the sponsoring Super Bull Committee, which meets throughout the year to plan this one exciting night, is comprised of hard-working volunteers from throughout Modoc County. President Rick Milton is joined on the committee by Vice President Edie Asrow, Secretary-Treasurer Diana Milton, and Skip Arnew, Dave, Sharon and K. Cee Boneck, Penni Borghi, Chuck Colas, Jim and Erin Erquiaga, Mike and Kelley Poindexter, Alan and Heather Pratt, and Lynette Sullivan.

Les Schwab Tires is sponsoring the prized silver belt buckle awarded to the Bronc Champion while Surprise Valley Auto Parts and Napa Auto Parts of Alturas are donating the top bull rider's silver buckle.
Committee members are selling raffle tickets for three $500 cash prizes. Funds raised from the sale of 500 tickets at $10 each help underwrite the high cost of the event and provide for annual scholarships awarded to graduating seniors who reside within Modoc County.

During last week's Surprise Valley High School graduation ceremony, the Bull Committee awarded $500 scholarships to seniors Amy Alexander and Sarah Teuscher.

Raffle tickets may be purchased from any Super Bull committee member. If less than 500 are sold before the event begins, the remaining tickets will be offered during the rodeo.

Children who'd like to compete in the mutton busting competition should register by calling 279-6383. There is no charge to enter although spaces are limited. Contestants for other events may also call the same number.

Loop bike ride around Modoc Wildlife Refugee

The Modoc Parks and Recreation District, Families Matter and H.A.N.D are sponsoring a 12.5 mile loop bike ride around the Modoc National Wildlife Refugee Saturday, July 1st.

It starts from Alturas Veteran's Park at 8:30 a.m. and ends at the park. Hopefully riders will return in time to queue up to ride in the Fandango Day Parade.

Families with children who find the ride too long may join the bikers from the parking lot for hunters at the wildlife refugee. It is at the last 2.4 miles of the route around the Modoc Wildlife Refugee. Check the map that is part of the ad for the bike ride for the location. It is anticipated that the first bikers will pass that point about 9:15.a.m.

Ribbons will be awarded to the first 100 participants who finish the loop and a prize will be given for those finishing first in three age categories, adults, teens, and kids. Also, the oldest and the youngest person completing the ride will be honored.

Registration for the bike ride will start at 7:30 a.m. in the Veteran's Park close to the locomotive. The cost to participate will serve as a donation to help the district begin its treasury. Fees are $10 for adults, $5 for ages 13-19 and one dollar for kids 12 and under. Everyone under 16 years of age must ride wearing a safety helmet.

Thanks to support from Health through Activity and Nutritional Development, H.A.N.D, cold water will be available at the mid-point of the ride.

Those people under 18 must have a signed permission slip from a parent or guardian. Those and registration forms may be picked up and filled out in advance at the Modoc Family Resource Center next to the elementary school or Altec Engineering at 1036 N. Main Street.

Arrowhead Father's Day winners

The team of Dave Holub and Jack Britton Jr. III fired a 57.75 net to win the Arrowhead Father's Day tournament.

In second place was the team of Jim and Bradley Widby who shot a 58.75 and in third was the team of Glen Metzdorf and Duane Conners with a 59.5

June 29th, 2006

News

Poindexter to ask for hand recount of ballots

Modoc County Sheriff candidate Mike Poindexter will ask for a hand recount of the June 6 ballots in the race that saw him trail Undersheriff Mark Gentry 1,850 to 1,749, a 101 vote difference.

In the first unofficial count Gentry had a lead of 125 votes. The votes were certified by the Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, and Poindexter could not ask for a recount prior to that action.

Poindexter has reported some irregularities with the ballots and voting and is looking into those issues. In addition to the recount, he is considering legal action concerning a difference between some sample ballots and the official ballot.

On Wednesday Poindexter said he was going to Clerk Maxine Madison to make formal request for the recount. His campaign will have to pay the cost of the recount, which Madison said would be done in a timely fashion once it's asked to be done.

Gentry gained support in the City of Alturas, while Poindexter had a lead in the rest of the county. Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison said she plans on having the votes certified by the Board of Supervisors next Tuesday. Any challenges will have to be filed within five days of that certification.

Gentry carried the four precincts in Alturas with a 619-447 vote margin. In total of the remaining precincts, Poindexter had a 1,302 to 1,231 lead.

Gentry won in the following precincts: Fort Bidwell 37-35; Cedarville 166-155; Alturas B 121-104; Alturas C 208-152; Alturas A 157-108; Alturas D 133-83; California Pines 98-94; Canby 82-34; Day 24-13; and Hot Spring 157-154.

Poindexter prevailed in these precincts: Lake City 55-37; Eagleville 45-34; State Line/Willow Ranch 34-31; North Fork 206-182; Parker Creek 80-58; South Fork 55-43; Adin 87-84; Lookout 80-55 and Newell 143-111.

Major heat breaks old record

Yes, it has been abnormally hot in Modoc, about 20 degrees above average and on June 25, the mercury hit 100 degrees, topping the record of 97 set in 1967. The average temperature for June 25 is 81 degrees.

On June 26, the temperature stopped just short of the record of 99 set in 1968. It hit 98. The average for that date is 81 degrees.

The other hot days didn't set records, but were well above normal for this area. On June 24, it was 97 degrees, well above the 80-degree average, but below 1961's record of 102. That 102 degrees is also the record high for the month of June.

June 23 found the temperature at 94 degrees, again above the 80-degree average, but below the record of 98, set in 1992.

The forecast for Saturday and Fandango Days calls for a high of 82 and on Sunday look for 88 degrees. Thunderstorms are predicted for the end of this week and the start of next week.

Bradbury will be tried as an adult

Christopher Bradbury will face murder charges as an adult in the 1992 death of 14-year-old Alturas resident Betty Lou Parks.

Bradbury, age 31, of Shasta Lake, was 17 years of age at the time of Parks death. Modoc Superior Court Judge Fritz Barclay ruled last Friday that there was sufficient evidence to try Bradbury for the murder of Parks and that he would be tried as an adult.

He was arraigned Tuesday in Modoc Superior Court, no plea was entered and the arraignment was continued to July 11. Bradbury has said he had nothing to do with the murder.

Testimony from his ex-wife is key to the prosecution case. She has told Department of Justice investigators that Bradbury admitted to her that he had been a part of the Parks' murder.

Bradbury was arrested last month at his job in Redding and remains in the Modoc County Jail on $500,000 bail. The case was turned over to DOJ in 2002 by the Modoc Sheriff's Office, which had made no real progress in the investigation.

Parks disappeared on June 25, 1992 and her remains were found by a hiker at a remote Modoc Estates lot on May 16, 1993.

Lightning sparks rash of fires in northeast

Thunderstorms sparked several fires across the northeast part of California and into Nevada this week.

The Modoc National Forest reports that its crews worked on eight wildland fires as of Tuesday and several more were reported after noon on Tuesday, with more thunder and lighting forecast for the next two days.

The eight fires were between one and 20 acres in size. Four of the fires were north and south of Adin and two fires were in the South Warner Mountains.

"The entire northstate has been hit by lightning, so there is major competition for firefighting resources," MNF Battalion Chief Chris Orr said. "We're currently prioritizing the fires to save structures and high value natural resources." As of Tuesday, there were eight engines, one dozer, one water tender, 10 smoke jumpers, one fixed wing aircraft and one medium duty helicopter fighting the fires.

Orr said additional resources have been ordered to assist in the firefighting effort, including engines, dozers, water tenders and handcrews.

With many people expected to be camping on the forest this weekend, officials stress care, especially with campfires.

According o the MNF, the fires made "significant runs" Tuesday and while the weather cooled and light rain fell, it did not extinguish the blazes.

The fire on Fox Mountain was visible from Adin and residents reportedly spent hours watching the flames and suppression efforts.

The northwest group of fires, south of Tionesta and east of Hollenbeck Butte is called the Happy Complex and is estimated at 1,700 acres, containing two large fires.

The southeastern section of the fires, north of Adin is called the Miller Complex as is estimated at 300 acres with seven fires ranging from approximately 50 acres to 200 acres.

The area where the fires are burning has an extensive fire history from lightning-caused, wind-driven fires, according to the Forest Service. As the area dries from Tuesday's isolated rainstorms, fire managers will be alert for additional undetected lightning fires and afternoon winds. Lightning storms are predicted for the next few days.

The Bureau of Land Management is also fighting fires with the largest in this area being the Squaw Fire north of Gerlach. That fire was contained at 2,905 acres as of Tuesday.

According to the Susanville Interagency Fire Center, fire crews responded to several lightning-caused fires, keeping most in check.

"Since Sunday, we have investigated more than 100 fire reports, have had 80 confirmed fires and some are getting big," said Craig Kincaid, a co-manager of the SIFC command center. "Because our fire fighting resources are depleted, we have not been able to send engines or crews to every fire."
In addition to the agency fire crews, local rural fire departments were kept busy all day Tuesday chasing down smoke columns and putting out fires throughout Modoc County.

Full line up of fun for Fandango '06

Modoc's Independence Day celebration will kick off in a big way next weekend, with a "Wild, Wild West," theme for the annual Fandango 2006 Fourth of July parade and celebration staged in Alturas.

Classic cars will fill the streets, music for dancing will take over the evenings at locations throughout Alturas both Friday and Saturday.

Friday night, June 30 will open festivities with a "Family Street Dance" from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Walt's Market parking lot off Main Street, Alturas. Music to be provided by the reunion of local band "Big Sage." Kids and families welcome. Walt's Market will be open. Dances will also be starting at 9 p.m. at Benny's with DJ Nick and at Desert Rose Casino featuring the Ray Atkinson Band.
On Saturday, July 1, register between 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. at Veterans' Park, to ride in the "Modoc Bicycle Loop Ride" which starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and takes a 12.5-mile loop past Dorris Reservoir. Modoc Parks and Recreation District, Families Matter and H.A.N.D. will co-sponsor this event, with ribbons to the first three finishers in each category and certificates to all who finish. Riders who return in time may ride as a unit in the Fandango Day Parade. Registration is $10 for adults; ages 13-19, $5; ages 12 and under, $1. Pre-registration will be accepted at Child and Family Resource Center, 809 West Eighth St. and Altec Engineering, 1036 N. Main, Alturas.

Fandango Parade entries will be judged at 9 a.m. July 1. Winners will receive their ribbons prior to the start of the parade. Those who have submitted parade entry forms, should line up before 9 a.m. at the new location of Eighth and Main Streets, Alturas. Parade Sweepstakes winner will take home $100 in Alturas Bucks.

The Fandango Parade will start on Saturday, July 1 at 11 a.m. on Alturas' Main Street offering a real taste of small town, USA and attracting many parade entries. The Alturas Chamber of Commerce organizes Fandango each year and this year Chamber President and Parade Organizer Penny Cruse welcomes the public to enjoy this special weekend.

By Saturday morning and the start of the annual parade, the population of Alturas swells, as families and former Modoc residents return to the area for reunions and the good, old-fashioned gathering at the Veterans' Memorial Park off South Main Street, following the parade.

Carol Sharp of Alturas has been selected as Fandango Grand Marshal.

U.S. Cellular will sponsor the Classic Car Show hosted by Alturas Elks Lodge 1756 B.P.O.E. in Rachel Dorris Park beginning at noon. View the beautiful local and visiting entries and stop by the Elks Lodge concession stand for a Polish hot dog on a stick and a soda. Classic Car Show entry forms are available from Frank's Carpets in Alturas, Jim Rollins at 530-640-8740 or from organizer Dave Hohman (530) 640-0164 of Alturas Elks Lodge.

Fandango Park booth coordinator Val Flournoy said booths will line the park with vendors, food concessions, games and a Kids' Corner for games on the east end of the park, organized by Repin' For The Lord church youth group and sponsored by the Chamber. Contact Val at 640-0588 for park booth information.

The Alturas Lions Club will serve their popular pit-barbecued beef meal, starting at noon on the park patio. (Last year's price was $7 per person).

The Alturas Chamber will have a booth filled with Chamber souvenir items such as Alturas license frames, hats, cups, t-shirts and Fandango sports bottles ( a new item this year). The Chamber booth will also offer tickets for the fundraiser drawing which will take place later in the afternoon. Tickets are $5 for "big ticket" prize packages – first prize, a home entertainment package valued at $800; second prize, an outdoor/camping, fishing package valued at $700 and third prize, a gas grill and grocery package valued at $600.

The Modoc Sheriff's Posse will sponsor a Horseshoe Tournament on the east end of the Classic Car Show at the horseshoe pits. Participants are asked to pre-register by calling Roy Bell at 233-5255. A donation of $10 is requested for each entrant. Entrants are asked to check the tournament board at the horseshoe pit site after the Fandango Parade for match times. Matches are expected to proceed through the day, consecutively at five pits with "grudge" matches interspersed throughout the day.

Teams will be randomly chosen from registered players. Posse members will be in uniform to serve as tourney officials following A.H.P.A. rules. Grudge match registration will be accepted before and during the tournament. Entries will be accepted by mail to the Modoc Sheriff's Posse, P.O. Box 1408, Alturas, CA 96101.

Tickets for the Chamber's Cow Pie Bingo will be offered until that event.
"Heartless" will provide live music on the Veterans' Park stage during the afternoon. Diagonal vehicle parking will be available on Water Street this year and County Road 56 which dissects the Rachel Dorris Park from Veterans' Park, will be closed to through traffic to allow the public to safely cross between both sides of the park.

Saturday night, California Pines will draw the crowds to California Pines Lake to view the fireworks display at dusk. The display is provided by the California Pines Property Owners Association and is a highlight of the weekend celebration. A buffalo barbecue meal will be served to the public starting at 2 p.m.

Desert Rose Casino will host a dance with the Ray Atkinson Band providing the tunes starting at 9 p.m. at the casino.

Park booth reservation applications and parade entry forms are now available to the public at Main Street Coffee, Top Hat Entertainment, Seab's True Value and the Alturas Chamber Office at 522 So. Main St., Alturas.

Obituaries:

Gary Lloyd McKay

Services for former Modoc County resident Gary Lloyd McKay were held at Taft Church of God on Friday, June 23, at 11:00 a.m. Interment followed at Westside District Cemetery in Taft, CA.
Gary was born November 11, 1940 to Lloyd and Leone McKay in Fargo, North Dakota. He passed away June 20, 2006, in Bakersfield, CA. He is preceded in death by his mother, Leone Simmons; step-father, Hank Simmons; father, Lloyd McKay and his twin brother, Larry McKay. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Donna McKay; his six children, Lisa Walton and husband Wally, Melissa Ridenour and husband Donnie, John McKay, Jimmy McKay and wife Nora all of Chico, California, Becky Martin and husband Dusty and Chuck McKay and wife Lindsey all of Taft; his 20 grandchildren, Tommy, Holly, Hailey, Heidi, Nick, Jason, Justin, Cassie, Carli, Dylan, Kyle, Cody, Kylee, Morgahn, Brian, Derek, Owen, Gwen, Abigail and Allyson; nieces, Debbie, Kathy and Terry, as well as many lifelong friends.

Gary was raised in Westwood, CA and he lived there until he was 17, when he joined the U.S. Navy. He served in the Vietnam War and retired in 1985, after 21 years of serving his country as a Machinist and Company Commander. Gary moved to Taft in 1989 with his wife, Donna and his two younger children. Gary retired from Universal Technical Services in 1998, where he worked for 10 years as a plant operator. He moved "up north" to Modoc County for five years, but then returned to Taft to be closer to his family.

Gary was an avid fisher and hunter and he loved to collect old cars. He was at every car event in Taft area and traveled to car shows. He was very proud of his 1964 Wildcat that he built himself. He enjoyed playing pool and he looked forward to playing at the "rec" every morning. He also was very patriotic and was involved in the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans. While in Alturas, he served as Senior Vice Commander (1999) and Commander (2002) for the D.A.V. Chapter 113; VFW Post 3327 Trustee, (2001-2002); and Sergeant at Arms (2001-02) for American Legion Post 163.

For information contact Basham Funeral Care at 661-873-8200.

Death Notice

Lydia Wrye

Alturas resident Lydia Wrye, 69, passed away at her home on Saturday, June 24, 2006. Kerr Mortuary is caring for arrangements. A Committal Service of her cremains will be carried out on Wednesday, July 5 at 9 a.m. at the Alturas Cemetery.

Born in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico on April 13, 1937, she had moved from Tennessee to Alturas, CA about 15 years ago. She is survived by three sons, Mario Ortiz of Crescent City, CA; Norman Ortiz of Wasco, CA and Luis Ortiz of Santa Cruz, CA. She also has numerous grandchildren.

Sports

Football team does well at camp

The Modoc Braves took 22 players to their annual football camp in Reno last week, and coach Shaun Wood was very pleased with their overall performance.

"I saw some really good things and we held our own against some pretty big schools, including Reno schools and Chico, Yuba City and Gridley," Wood said. "There were over 900 players at the camp. We got to put in our offense and add a few wrinkles. And our defense was very strong."The Braves will start football practice August 14. Players should work on getting their physicals now. Wood will be opening the weight room this summer Monday through Thursdays and the physical and sports information forms will be available there. Physicals and forms most be completed before the first day of practice.

Loop bike ride around Modoc Wildlife Refuge

Get on the bicycle and take a ride around the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge before starting the Fandango celebration.

The Modoc Parks and Recreation District, Families Matter and H.A.N.D are sponsoring a 12.5 mile loop bike ride around the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge Saturday, July 1st.

It starts from Alturas Veteran's Park at 8:30 a.m. and ends at the park. Hopefully riders will return in time to ride in the Fandango Day Parade. A shorter route is also offered.

Ribbons will be awarded to the first 100 participants who finish the loop and a prize will be given for those finishing first in three age categories, adults, teens, and kids. Also, the oldest and the youngest person completing the ride will be honored.

Registration for the bike ride will start at 7:30 a.m. in the Veteran's Park close to the locomotive. The cost to participate will serve as a donation to help the district begin its treasury. Fees are $10 for adults, $5 for ages 13-19 and one dollar for kids 12 and under. Everyone under 16 years of age must ride wearing a safety helmet.

A most Likely winner for tourney

Jose Madrigal of Likely teamed with Mark Como of Pt. Reyes to win the Likely Golf Tournament June 24, with the team winning $200.

In second place was the team of Wayne Bethel and Mike Poindexter, who won $100. A pair of teams tied for third: Bob Brooks of Alturas and Loren Welsh, Likely and the other team was Deral and Carol Ellis, New Pine Creek.

Deral Ellis won the longest drive contest and Dennis Tate won closest to the pin. Each took home $50.
There was a drawing following the tourney and various other prizes donated by local merchants and business people were won by other players.

Likely Links would like to thank all the businesses for their support.

July 6th, 2006

News

Cotta files suit against Woolverton

The question of the November run-off election for Modoc County District Attorney between Gary Woolverton and Richard Cotta, Jr., will first be decided in court.

On Friday, Cotta filed suit against Woolverton, claiming he was not a legal candidate because he was not a registered Modoc voter and otherwise qualified to vote when the nomination papers were issued to him. Cotta said he can prove Woolverton never lived in Modoc County prior to his registration and never lived at the address he used on his initial voter registration.

Cotta is also claiming Woolverton "committed an offense against the elective franchise by falsely declaring, under penalty of perjury, his residence and domicile on his voter's registration, and on his candidate's statement, and by filing and submitting those documents knowing they had been made falsely."

Basically, Cotta is claiming that Woolverton registered to vote at a property he owned in Adin, even though he had never lived there. Woolverton has stated he never lived in that home, but contends he was a Modoc resident when he registered to vote.

Woolverton was an attorney in Susanville and Redding when he registered to vote and has since opened an office in Alturas.

Modoc County Counsel and the Attorney General's office did not rule that Woolverton's name be taken off the ballot. Woolverton believes he was a legal candidate for the office.

Cotta is asking the court to rule Woolverton was not a legal candidate and, therefore, declare all of his votes illegal. Woolverton had the most votes in the election, with 1,552, but he did not receive the required majority to win in the primary. Cotta finished with 1,042 and attorney John Lawson had 885. If the court rules against Woolverton, Cotta could be declared the winner of the election.

"On or about March 14, 2006, Gary Woolverton submitted a voter registration and Statement of Candidacy listing his residence and domicile as 100 Main St., Adin . . . each signed under penalty of perjury," Cotta states. "Also on March 14, the County Clerk of Modoc County issued him nomination papers. In fact, the statements made by Woolverton in his voter registration and candidate's statement were false, in that he had not established his domicile at 100 Main Street, Adin, or any other place in Modoc . . . by his own admission, he did not actually establish his domicile in Modoc County until on or about March 26, 2006."

Cotta cites Elections Code sections stating that in order to register to vote, residence is defined as a "person's domicile." Domicile is further defined as the place "where his or her habitat is fixed, wherein the person has the intention of remaining . . . that a person can have only one domicile and that the home where the person claims a homeowner's exemption is the person's domicile."
Woolverton argues that his intention to change domiciles to Modoc County solves the requirement for voter registration. "Such intent is manifested if there is a change of registration for voting purposes and that is followed by some positive acts or declarations," he states. "It is largely a matter of intention and there is no waiting period when one is moving from one California County to another, and motive or reason is generally irrelevant."

The Happy Complex is currently contained

The Happy/Miller Complex is expected to be under control today by 6 a.m. and with incident command post disbanded.

Burnout operations are complete and fire crews continue to strengthen fire lines on the southern fire of the Happy Complex located about 20 air miles west of Canby.

Fire crews have begun to mop-up in cooler parts of the fire up to 300 feet from the fire line. There were 11 hand crews, 13 fire engines, three helicopters, one bulldozer and 437 fire fighters assigned to the Happy Complex. All of the Type one hand crews have been reassigned to other fires or released to rest and reorganize for future fire assignments.

To prevent the spread of noxious weeds encountered on the fire all vehicles
are washed prior to departing from the fire area. The vehicle wash removes
any noxious weed seeds that may be imbedded in dirt or mud on the vehicles
leaving the fire area, reducing the possibility of spreading noxious weeds
outside of the area.

For the past four days the Modoc National Forest has been monitoring a
lightning-caused fire burning inside the Burnt Lava Flow Geologic Area near
Yellowjacket Butte. The fire is burning in a pocket or island of
vegetation that is surrounded by at least one mile of lava without and
vegetation and has little chance to burn outside of the area.

The Miller Complex consisted of 15 lightning-caused fires approximately eight miles northwest of Adin, California, consuming approximately 277 acres of sage, juniper and pine trees. All the fires are 100 percent contained, and firefighters are in a patrol status, monitoring for any smoke or flame within the fire perimeter.

Southern California Interagency Incident Management Team #1 transferred command of the Miller Complex to the Happy Complex team at 6:00 p.m. on July 3, 2006. 345 personnel are currently assigned to the incident. The incident command post will be dismantled and will be made available for other fires. Crews and equipment will be assigned to either the Happy Complex, other fires, or return home for rest.

Future reports on these fires will be combined under the Happy/Miller
Complex, led by Ken Paul (Incident Commander) for the ORCA
(Oregon/California Incident Management Team).
Happy/Miller Fire Complex – Fire Information (530) 233- 9912
or online at: www.inciweb.org/incident/264/

The Lava Fire is currently 300 acres and is burning within the Burnt Lava Flow Geological Area near Yellowjacket Butte. Most of the light fuels within the fire have burned and the fire is surrounded on all sides by about one mile of lava flow without vegetation. It is being monitored from the air.

Hospital debt dips to $5.3 million

Modoc Medical Center's Debt to the county decreased on June 30 to $5,355,838.60, down from the previous month's $5,531,096.76, according to Modoc County Auditor Judi Stevens.

That amounts to a $175,258 decrease in the debt, the first decrease since November. Month by month the debt looked like this: September $4,690,812; October $4,741,129; November $4,585,423; December $4,867,652; January $4,793,393; and February $5,071,818 and March $5,366.613 and April $5,531,096.

The increase in debt from April though May was $72,638 and from September 2005 it has increased by $$665,026.

The Modoc Record will continue to publish the actual debt at the end of each month.

Budget shortfall triggers mental health layoffs

A projected budget shortfall of $516,442 has triggered the layoffs of five employees of the Modoc Mental Health Department.

The Modoc Board of Supervisors approved the five-position reduction-in-force following a meeting last Thursday afternoon. Modoc County Chief Administration Officer Mike Maxwell, said he, the Mental Health Department and its director are working on the issue currently and several issues must be resolved before actual layoff notices are sent to employees. Those notices may be out tomorrow.
The reduction in employees will cut the projected shortfall to just over $100,000, according to the county. If nothing were done, the deficit would be around $660,000, said Maxwell.

Obituaries:

Vern L. Hill

Vern L. Hill, age 82, passed away unexpectedly in St. Charles Medical Center, Bend, Oregon on June 30, 2006, eight days following the death of his wife, Lillian R. Hill, in Lakeview, Oregon.
Vern was born in Cedarville, California on October 25, 1923, to Charlie and Hattie Hill, the youngest of their six children. He was raised a cowboy in Surprise Valley and on the west side of Goose Lake near Lakeview, Oregon.

In January 1943, Vern entered the U.S. Army and served in General Patton's Fourth Army, Third Armored Division, as a tank driver during World War II. He was twice wounded, awarded the Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster, and was honorably discharged from active duty in October of 1945.

Vern married Phyllis Meyer of Alturas, CA, in April 1945, and the couple returned to Modoc County where they worked on the Ed Hill Ranch near Cedarville. They moved to Alturas in 1949, and their only child, Becky, was born in July.

When they left Surprise Valley, Vern put away his saddle and began working for the Coppedge family at the Mountain Lilly Dairy (now where K&K Produce is located) and later he worked for Crater Lake Creamery out of Klamath Falls, OR, as Modoc County's deliveryman.

In 1960, Vern was hired by Modoc Sheriff E.R. (Buck) Server as a deputy and he later served in the same capacity under Sheriff L. E. Harris. For most of Vern's law enforcement career he was a resident deputy sheriff in Surprise Valley. He retired in 1978, but worked as a cowboy and carpenter when needed by various ranchers and friends in the Valley.

In 1995, Vern married Lillian R. Lape and the couple retired to Lakeview, OR, where they enjoyed 11 years together pursuing their love of hunting and fishing.

Vern is survived by his daughter, Becky L. Dederick, and her husband, John, of Alturas; stepson Ed Melroy and wife May of Visalia; stepson Gene Melroy and wife Lois of Bellevista, Arkansas; stepson Chad Gooch of Jackpot, Nevada; and stepson Vance M. Gooch of Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Vern is remembered for being hard-working, generous, and honest, always ready and willing to lend a hand. He was a good neighbor, a loyal friend and a fierce protector of those he loved.

At Vern's request, no services will be held, but a get-together is planned for later this summer in Surprise Valley for friends and family.

Contributions in Vern's memory may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.

Tammy Witherspoon

Tammy Irene Witherspoon passed away June 30, 2006 at her home in Alturas, CA. She was 44.

Tammy was born June 10, 1962 in Lakeview, OR, to Wanda and Ronald Malson. She was the fifth generation on her mother's side of the family. "Some people can say they have four living grandparents. But, Tammy had 11 grandparents; seven living grandmothers and four living grandfathers," described her mother.

Tammy was a very loving sweet angel as a child. According to her mother, she never had to scold her. She always wanted everyone to be comfortable and happy around her.

She loved the small town atmosphere and could become friends with anyone she met. Tammy would help everyone and anything. She had a heart of gold.

Tammy attended schools in Alturas and Klamath Falls, OR. After graduating from Modoc High School in Alturas, she worked at the Modoc County Library with the late Betty Chism. She completed training as a Certified Nurses' Aide, and worked at Warnerview Convalescent Hospital in Alturas for a time. She and Mark Witherspoon were married in 1984 in Alturas.

Tammy is survived by her mother Wanda Gloster, Alturas; step-father Jerry Gloster of Tualatin, OR; her son Michael Witherspoon of Boulder City, NV; daughter Amber Witherspoon, Boulder City, NV; all of her loving friends and her estranged husband Mark Witherspoon of Boulder City, NV.
Tammy was predeceased by her birth father; her grandfather Vance Thomason of Alturas; grandmother Carra Thomason of Alturas and uncle David Thomas of Alturas with whom Tammy was very close.

Memorial services will be held Sunday, July 9 at 1p.m. at the Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas. Following the service, everyone is invited to the home of Wanda Gloster, 110 East 14th St., Alturas, to honor Tammy's life.

Those who wish may direct memorial contributions in Tammy's memory to a heart or lung society.

Lydia Maria Cuebas Pitre-Wrye

Alturas resident Lydia Maria Cuebas Pitre-Wrye, passed away of natural causes at her home on Saturday, June 24, 2006. She was 69 years of age. A Committal Service was held on Wednesday, July 5 at 9 a.m. at the Alturas Cemetery. Pastor Bruce Blum of the Seventh Day Adventist Church conducted the service.

Lydia Maria Cuebas Pitre was born in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico on April 13, 1937. She received her education in San Sebastian. She also earned her surgical technician license. She married Mario Ortiz in New Orleans, Louisiana in late 1956. She worked in a private medical office as a medical assistant in New Orleans, then later was a surgical technician at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, TN. She relocated to Alturas, CA 15 years ago, when one of her three sons moved to Alturas. She chose to be independent and treasured the peacefulness of living alone, but remained close to her family.
She was a loving and supportive mother to her three sons. Lydia was also a dear grandmother and a great-grandmother. She loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and loving her great-grandchildren. She loved baking cupcakes for children in her apartment complex and baking cakes for adults who knew her in the community like Brown's Pharmacy, now Alturas Pharmacy, friends Norman and Joy for example, and many more, especially on their birthdays and just to say thank you.

"I loved the corn bread my grandma made for me and the butter cookies," shared grandson Forest Ortiz

"Wherever we go, there you are in our hearts with our smiles and in our tears," said grandson Nathanial Ortiz. Grandson Mario E. Ortiz, III, described, "After all the things that I have been through in my life, my grandmother was there to lift my hope up. She is in my heart and everybody else's heart. Rest in peace, always loved by your grandson."

Her husband Mario passed away on December 22, 2003.

She is survived by three sons, Mario Ortiz, Jr. of Crescent City, CA; Norman Ortiz of Wasco, CA and Luis Ortiz of Santa Cruz, CA; sisters TiTi Cuebas, Georgia, U.S.A.; Aida Cuebas, Puerto Rico; granddaughter Vera Ortiz, Japan; grandsons Mario Ortiz, III, and Forest Ortiz of Crescent City, CA; Nathaniel Ortiz, Watsonville, CA; granddaughter Memory West, Scotts Valley, CA; grandsons Benjemin West and Nigel West of Aptos, CA; great-granddaughters Kyla Lusk, Scotts Valley, CA and Alysa Ortiz, Crescent City; Riley Ortiz, Chowchilla, CA; Leilani Ortiz, Watsonville, CA; great-grandsons Preston Miller, Shawn Miller of Japan and great-granddaughter Noelle Miller, Japan.
Memorial contributions may be directed to Adventist Frontier Missions, P.O. Box 346, Berrien Springs, Michigan 49103.

Services were under the direction of Kerr Mortuary, Alturas.
.
Jesse Merl Prosser

Jesse Merl Prosser died July 1, 2006 at his home in Tulelake, CA. He was 90.

Services will be held at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas on Friday, July 7 at 10 a.m. with burial to follow at the Alturas Cemetery, with military honors provided by the Alturas Veterans' Groups. The family invites all friends and neighbors for fellowship and sharing at Mr. Prosser's home in Tulelake beginning at 3 p.m.

He was born August 28, 1915 in Salina, Kansas. He was 19 when he went to work in the oil fields in Bakersfield, CA. Jesse continued to work his way north to Modoc County, where he held various jobs.

Mr. Prosser worked in the potato harvest in Tulelake, at the Long Bell Lumber Co., in the peat bogs near Likely, CA and as a ranch hand.

He met Margaret Ina Kelley while working on the Kelley Ranch in Alturas. They were married in Reno, NV in 1941.

Mr. Prosser enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 21, 1941, and served in the South Pacific. He was wounded in action in New Guinea in 1943 and received an honorable discharge on June 12, 1945.
Mr. Prosser was awarded a homestead in Tulelake in 1946, where he and Margaret farmed and raised their family and helped to build a community. He turned the farm over to his sons, John and Frank, in the late 1970s and continued to be involved 9in the family farm operation until his death.
Mr. Prosser enjoyed being with his family and friends, and he was a dedicated fisherman.

He is survived by his sister Nettie Sullivent; half-brother Charles Prosser, and his children Judy Prosser Craft of Palo Cedro, CA; John and Peyton Prosser of Tulelake, Betty and Chet Smurzynski of Palo Cedro, and Frank Prosser; and Frank's fiancée Jeri Ringulet of Tulelake. He is also survived by grandchildren Kendra Ayers, Joby Smursynski, Kelly Wardall, Kristy Smurzynski, Katie and James Prosser; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Margaret Ina Prosser and sister Violet Amy Davis.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Klamath Water Users Association, 2455 Patterson St., Klamath Falls, OR 97603.

Bobby D. Jacobsen

Bobby D. Jacobsen, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, passed away February 24, 2006 at United Medical Center-West in Cheyenne.

Mr. Jacobsen spent most of his growing up years in Canby, CA and graduated from Modoc Union High School in 1958. He was born September 15, 1940 in Spokane, WA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jens and Marge Jacobsen, and a brother Dean Jacobsen.

Mr. Jacobsen worked as a Heavy Equipment Mechanic in his early years on Dworshak Dam, Orofino, ID; as a Foreman for Union 76, Rawlins, WY; the last 20 years were spent as a Mine Maintenance Superintendent for FMC Gold, Gabbs, NV, Pegasus Gold, Zortman, and Anaconda, MT and retired from Coeur d'Alene Mining Company, Lovelock, NV, May 2001. After retiring, he enjoyed helping his daughter Patricia, with her business.

He is survived by his wife Bonnie of Cheyenne, WY; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Robert Jacobsen of Cheyenne, and Thomas and A'lesha Jacobsen of Carlin, NV; two daughters and a son-in-law, Janet and Eddie Crago of Goose Creek, S.C., and Patricia Russell of Baggs, WY; a brother and sister-in-law, Howard and Betty Jacobsen of Anderson, CA; a sister and brother-in-law, Judy and Dick Kinne of Lewiston, ID; mother-in-law Wayve Goings of Red Bluff, CA; nine grandchildren, one great-grandson, several nieces and nephews, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, cousins and one aunt and uncle.

Memorial services will be held on Monday, July 10, at 11 a.m. at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Alturas.

In lieu of flowers, friends may contribute to Meals on Wheels or the charity of their choice.

Sports

38 fish caught at Rotary Derby

While there weren’t many kids involved, most of them caught fish at the 49th Annual Alturas Rotary Fish Derby last Saturday.

Of the 40 children involved, 38 fish were reeled in during the two-hour contest. The winner for the first girl’s fish was Haley Stout and the first fish caught by a boy was by Scott Lewis. Emily Anderson caught the most fish in the girl’s division and Hunter Williams won the boys contest. Lily Love caught the largest fish for the girls and Adam Weaver caught the biggest fish for the boys.

The bike winners, by drawing, were Audra Larsen and Benicia Cervantes and Garret Larsen and Timmy Prisco.

Posse Junior Horse Show attracts youth riders

Modoc County Sheriff’s Posse hosted their 51st annual Junior Horse Show June 3 and judged winners, presented certificates, medallions and ribbons to youth riders in all age categories who competed at the Junior Showgrounds in Alturas.

Events offered included Trail Horse, Western Equitation, Western Pleasure, Buckaroo Class (rope with drag, Load in trailer and Hobble); Barrel Cloverleaf, Pole Bending, Keyhole Race.

Senior Division, (ages 14 to 18) first place overall winner was Macey Binning. Junior Division, (ages 8 to 13), first place overall winner was Sarah Gibbons; second place, Courtney Knoch; third place, Hannah Gibbons; fourth place, Alex McQuarrie; Fifth place Jamie Brazil; sixth place, Melissa Knoch; seventh place tie went to Kylee Iverson and Anna Estill and eighth place tie went to Madelyn Binning and Mathew Palomino; Greenhorn Division, (ages seven and under) saw Keith Nelson as first place overall winner, with Riley Lake in second place, Peter French in third place, Cody Nelson, fourth place, Kenzie Binning, fifth place, Blair Joanette, sixth place, Kayla Lake, seventh place and MaKayla Joanette, eighth place overall.

"It was a joy to watch each and everyone of these great kids riding their horses and having so much fun," described co-chairman Phil Vermillion "A special thanks to all of you, you made this show another success. Modoc County Sheriff’s Posse officers and members, we thank you too."

Byron Gibbons was announcer; Teri Brown was judge. Horse Show co-chairmen Chris Knoch and Phil Vermillion were assisted by Posse Officers Captain Mike Morgan, Lieutenant Mick Baldwin, Secretary/Treasurer, Jerry Wendland; First Director, Chuck Browning; Second Director, Roy Bell, Jr.; Third Director, John Looper.

July 13th, 2006

News

November election has local issues

The November General Election will have state and federal elections and also have several local races on the ballot, for schools and fire and water districts.

According to Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison, the candidate nomination period for those seats will begin July 17 and run through August 11.

In addition, there could be a run-off for the Modoc District Attorney position between Gary Woolverton and Richard Cotta. Cotta has filed suit claiming Woolverton was not a qualified registered voter in Modoc and therefore ineligible to run for office. Woolverton had never lived in the home he cited on his voter registration form. Neither the county counsel or Attorney General ruled that his named be removed from the ballot.

That case will be heard in Modoc Superior Court next week Tuesday, July 18 at 1:30 p.m. The case is open to the public. Judge Fritz Barclay has disqualified himself.

Two seats up for election in the Modoc Joint Unified School District, those of Karen Hays and Patt Swanson.

Four seats will be on the ballot for the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District. In Cedarville, the seats of Gene Erquiaga and James Laacke expire; in Ft. Bidwell the seat of Steve Smith is up and an election for the remaining term of Dean Cockrell, who resigned will be up. Bill Bostic was appointed to that position, but will have to run for election to fill out Cockrell's remaining term.
Three seats are open on the County Board of Education: District Two's Betsy Ingraham; District Three's Dixie Server; and District Five's Marcella Haynes.

In addition, there will be elections in the Cedarville and Newell water districts and all 13 fire districts.

City will close, dismantle Skate Park

Vandalism finally took its toll and the City of Alturas has had enough. Tuesday night, the Alturas City Council agreed with staff recommendations to permanently close and dismantle the Alturas Skate Park on Fourth Street.

According to Alturas Building Inspector Sue Traugott, city crews have spent too much time and money repairing vandalism at the park and enough was enough. The final straw she said was when the vandals removed the top of a picnic tables to use as another ramp.

"It looks like the kids didn't appreciate what we tried to do for them," said councilman Keith Jacques.

Councilman Rod Gately said it was too bad the kids didn't take care of the facility and said he has had dealings with some of them at the Veteran's Park on Water Street, where vandalism is also a problem.

At the skate park, the vandals had taken off the side boards of the ramps, pried off the ramp surfaces and the steel plates bolting them to the cement, broken boards, loosened or removed screws and nails and spread graffiti.

In some of the area where they removed the sideboards, the kids had gone under the ramps to get out of sight, smoked and left piles of litter.

Carol Callaghan, Director of TEACH, Inc., which spent about $70,000 to build the facility, said she had no trouble tearing it down.

"TEACH is not going to put another dime into this park," she said.

City Treasurer Kathie Alves also told the council that its insurance carrier, PARSAC, said if the city closes and dismantles the skatepark, it will save the city $15,000 per year in liability insurance costs.
Chief of Police Ken Barnes said the park has been a source of trouble for months. Skaters are required to wear protective gear at the city park, while they don't have to at the Veteran's Park, said Barnes.

Skating is supposedly not allowed at Veteran's Park either, but Barnes said when his officers cite the kids, the kids tell them that the park managers said they could skate. And his officers have told him the manager has agreed with that statement.

In other action Tuesday night, the City agreed to look into partial funding of a full time Economic Development position requested by Modoc Economic Development Corporation. All the councilpeople felt the position is needed, but referred to Alves to come up with options for funding before making a final decision. The request from MEDC is that the city and county jointly fund the position and that it be managed under MEDC.

The Council also agreed to bring the $1 per month addition to the mosquito abatement fund measure back during the November election. It failed to get the required two-thirds majority in June. The issue would raise the mosquito abatement fee from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. The city is spraying for mosquitoes this summer, but could do a much better job with the additional funding, said Agricultural Commissioner, Joe Moreo.

The council agreed, also, that it would need to do a better job of promoting the issue for the November election. There was little promotion or explanation from the city in the June election.
The Council agreed to meet with the High Plateau Humane Society, again, to try to work out an affordable and equitable agreement for the group to house some of its animals at the Alturas pound. The county's closing of Canine Country has created a real problem for the Humane Society in finding kennels to house the animals.

In an interesting move, the Council adopted an ordinance amending (lessening) the authority of the planning commission regarding subdivision tentative map approvals and held a first reading of an ordinance lessening the authority of the planning commission on construction projects of over $500,000.

Charlie Brown challenges Doolittle to debates

Democratic challenger Charlie Brown has issued a debate challenge to Republican Incumbent John Doolittle in the race for the District 4 U.S. House of Representatives seat.

Brown, a retired Air Force Lt. Colonel, also picked up the endorsement of General Wesley Clark this week.

Brown said he looks forward to debating Doolittle on "conservative issues and values."

Doolittle was the subject of a major story in the Washington Post Tuesday, dealing with his Political Action Committee, and lucrative commissions paid to his wife Julie's one-person company.

"Doolittle's wife, Julie, a professional fundraiser, has collected 15 percent of all contributions to Doolittle's leadership PAC and additional commissions on contributions to his campaign committee – a total of nearly $140,000 since 2003, according to the Federal Election Commission records," the Washington Post states. " ‘I don't know if there's anything comparable,' said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a watchdog group that called last month for a investigation of Doolittle by the House ethics committee. ‘If this is okay, it is a road map for how to convert substantial sums of campaign money to personal use."

Doolittle's staff has said he "has used the leadership PAC and his campaign committee in a legal, ethical and responsible manner."

Doolittle has also come under fire for accepting about $140,000 in campaign contributions from convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. He has refused to return any of those funds and said he has done nothing illegal in either case.

Brown said he wants the series of debates, throughout the district, to "provide voters with an unfiltered examination of the choice they face in this election. Doolittle claims he stands for conservative values. I believe in small, efficient government, low taxes, balanced budgets, personal responsibility. Individual liberty, a strong and smart national defense, and leading with the highest standards of integrity."

He said Doolittle's record doesn't mesh with conservative values. "What is conservative about creating a bloated government, more than doubling the national debt, denying our military the tools they need (like proper equipment, manpower, sound intelligence or a clear plan) to defend America, leaving our border and ports unsecured, infringing on personal liberties, and abandoning more leadership by associating with indicted congressional bribers?"

Chili Cook-off seeking some hot teams

So, you think you make a mean pot of chili do you? Your chance to prove it is at the 2006 Chili Cook-off and Evening Around the Campfire August 5.

Not only will the winners get bragging rights, they'll take home the $500 first prize. The cook-off teams can be made up of from one to no more than four members. Entry fee is $25 per team.
The event will be held at the Modoc High Country Amphitheater and cooking will take place at the Amphitheater the day of the contest. Gates will open at 5 p.m. for the public to come and sample the chili, along with side dishes. An evening of cowboy poetry, music, and comedy will follow the cook-off. The Chili will be judged by a yet unnamed distinguished panel of chili experts.

The Cook-off is a fundraiser for the Amphitheater, located west of Alturas on Fourth Street, between the Airport and the old mill site. Signs will direct the public to the event.

All entries for the Chili Cook-off must be received by July 28. Contact Terry Olson at 640-1072 for details and to sign up.

Obituaries:

Services for Harold J.R. O'Neil

Lifetime Modoc resident and Pit River Tribal member Harold J.R. O'Neil, 74, passed away July 6, 2006 at Mercy Medical Center in Redding, CA. Services for Mr. O'Neil will include a Wake service Friday, July 14 at 5:30 p.m. at Modoc Full Gospel Church, 1010 West Henderson St., Alturas. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 15 at 2 p.m. at the Alturas Veterans' Hall, So. Main Street, with burial to follow at XL Cemetery.

Mr. O'Neil was born in Lookout, CA on June 20, 1932. He was a veteran of the Korean War, serving with the U.S. Army. He had worked as a farming ranch hand for 50 years in Modoc County and was the father of several children. His wife Terri O'Neil resides in Alturas. The Record will publish further information as it becomes available. Kerr Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Services for Gilbert L. Conklin

A graveside service for lifetime Cedarville resident Gilbert L. Conklin,79, will be held Saturday, July 15 at 2 p.m. at the Cedarville Cemetery.

Mr. Conklin passed away on July 11, 2006 at Surprise Valley Hospital, Cedarville, CA. He had retired as a truck driver. He was born in Cedarville on December 28, 1926. His wife Margaret resides in Cedarville. The Record will publish further information in Mr. Conklin's obituary as it becomes available. Kerr Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Kathleen Morse Harris Ekstrom

Kathleen Frances (Kathy~Kate) Morse Harris Ekstrom died at the Lake District Hospital in Lakeview, OR on Thursday June 22, 2006, following a lengthy illness. She was born in Sacramento, CA on Dec. 21, 1920, to Frank & Maude (Riley) Morse.

As a young child due to the death of her mother, she and her brother Carl went to live with their Aunt Blanche & Uncle Buck Page. Her brother Carl preceded her in death at a
young age.

Kate grew up on the Page Ranch in Eagleville, CA. She graduated from Surprise Valley
High School. Following graduation, she married Ross Harris and the couple moved to
Willow Ranch. Her husband Ross preceded her in death, due to a motor vehicle accident.
Kate then married Rudy Ekstrom. The couple continued to live at Willow
Ranch. Following the death of her husband Rudy, Kate moved to Lakeview where she
resided until her death. Her hobbies included oil painting, gardening and reading.

She was also preceded in death by her parents and adopted parents Buck & Blanche Page.
Survivors include her brother and sister-in-law, Riley and Dot Morse of Moraga, CA; four sons and daughters-in-law, Riley & Sheron Harris of Bly, OR; Martin (Mick) and Lorna Harris of Bly; Tim and Lillian Harris of Lakeview, OR; Rex and Janie Ekstrom of Fruitland, Idaho; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and many friends.

Graveside services will be held at the family plot at the Willow Ranch Cemetery on
Saturday July 15, 2006 at 1 p.m.

Contributions in the memory of Mrs. Ekstrom may be made to the Willow Ranch Fire
Dept. c/o Bill Carpenter, New Pine Creek, OR 97635 or to a charity of the donor's choice.
Ousley Osterman Huffstutter Funeral Chapel has charge of the arrangements.

Lenore (Nonie) Billingsley

Madras, Oregon resident Lenore "Nonie" Billingsley, 75, died June 8, 2006, at Mountain View Hospital at the age or 75.

Mrs. Billingsley was born July 20, 1930 in Union, Neb., to Lannie and Lucille (McKernan) Mead.
She married Ted Billingsley on Oct. 1, 1945, in Carson City, Nev.

Nonie and Ted owned the "Ted and Nonie Café in Canby, CA in the mid 50's and early 60's.
She was employed as an office manager for OutWest Sales Co. for many years, in addition to being a wife and mother.

Mrs. Billingsley's special interests included square dancing and traveling to Reno.
Survivors include her husband, Ted Billingsley of Madras; children, Gloria Hogge of Madras; Lannie Billingsley of Portland, and Sharon Billingsley of Culver; mother, Lucille Mead of New Hampshire; brothers, Kenny Mead of Tucson, AZ and Robert Mead of Mt. Vernon, N.H.; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at the family home in Madras on July 22, at 2pm.  Arrangements are under the direction of Bel-Air Colonial Funeral Home of Madras.  The family asks that donations be made to the Madras Hospice in lieu of flowers.

Linley Sherman Easter

Alturas resident Linley Sherman Easter, 43, "went away to go fishing with the Lord," on Friday, July 7, 2006. Mr. Easter passed away at his home in Alturas with the comfort of his family and church members close at hand. He was loved by all. His death was due to cancer of the liver.
Linley was born on April 19, 1963 in Grand Junction, Colorado, but spent most of his life in Modoc County, where he attended Alturas schools. He was the loving son of Carolyn Jo Easter of Alturas and the late Calvin Linley Easter.

"He loved Modoc County and he loved the fishing and hunting. There was no other place like Modoc with Linley," described his mother. He was a person with a good attitude about life and was "always laughing and joking. He had a nice smile and twinkling blue eyes."

Linley was a local and long haul truck driver and also was into remodeling and carpentry services. At one time he was married to the former Chris Johnson of Alturas.

He was the loving brother of two sisters, Londa Sue Kent of Dewitt, Ark and Loleta Sheryl Eychner and her husband Faron Ray Eychner of Tulare, CA; one brother Terrell Travis Smith and his wife Misty Dawn of Tulare; seven nephews: Sean Adams, Brant Correa, Scott and Greg Kent and Cameron and Jesse Eychner and Terrell Travis Smith, Jr. and four nieces: Collette Vogel and Kayla Lynch, Shayla Smith and Shalene Eychner and many, many cousins and many friends.

Visitation will be tonight, July 13 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kerr Mortuary Chapel, 400 West Second St., Alturas. Funeral services will be Friday, July 14 at 10 a.m. at the Church of the First Born, West Eight and Mill Streets, Alturas. Brothers Phil Sweecy and Don Young will conduct the service, followed by committal services at the Alturas Cemetery "for final rest in Jesus Our Lord." Linley had turned his life toward good things. A potluck dinner will follow at the church house.

Condolences may be directed to the family at 1106 West Third St., Alturas.

Sports

Cancer golf tourney set for July 22

The annual Modoc County Cancer Society Golf Tournament is scheduled for July 22 at Arrowhead Golf Course.

The two-person scramble has an entry fee of $25 per person, with all funds raised staying in Modoc County. Entry fee checks should be made out to the American Cancer Society.
A shotgun start will get play off at 9 a.m. Teams must use at least six drives of each person. Tee prizes and $200 in pro-shop credits will be available.

Contact Jim or Kathie Widby at Arrowhead, 233-3404, for more information.

Eagle Lake fishing improves

Fishing at Eagle Lake for its unique Eagle Lake Trout started to improve significantly last week as the fish began to settle into the deeper water of the lake's south basin. Best results are coming from boats at depths from 20 to 35 feet. Strongest results have been with night crawlers followed closely by trolling with sure catch lures, needlefish, Sep's brown grubs, rainbow runners and the like. Night crawlers seemed to be turning in the best results last Saturday. Use of slip bobbers for still fishing and trolling with down riggers or lead-core line works best this time of year.

Fish have been weighing between 2 and 4 lbs. typically. Best times to fish are in the early morning hours. Best results have been coming from the Eagles Nest area.

The south shore welcomes the return of Merrill campground this season. Merrill campground has reopened this year now featuring a combination of full and partial hookups as well as standard pine-shaded campsites. The improvements made to Merrill now allow the largest of RV's easy access and paved parking sites. Sites are available by reservation or on a first-come, first serve basis. For camping information at Eagle Lake, call (530) 825-3212. For reservations, call; toll free, (877)-444-6777. For current information on fishing conditions, call Eagle Lake Marina at (530) 825-3454.

Get in the swim with new class line up at Alturas Pool

Swim lessons are now underway at Alturas Municipal Pool with sessions scheduled at 9:30 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. and 6 p.m.

American Red Cross lessons are available for swimmers of all skill levels from preschool to Lifeguard Readiness. The classes run for two weeks and are scheduled to begin July 17 and 31. New this year, will be adult swim lessons starting July 10, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning. Instruction will be available for all skill levels and interests, from beginners to swimmers who are interested in improving strokes, beginning a fitness program, or learning water safety skills. The cost for all lessons is $40.

Also scheduled this summer is an Aquacise class on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Aquacise class fee is $35.

July 20th, 2006

News

State Route 299 closed for hours after train with LP gas derails

By Anthony Larson
Special to the Record

A freight train derailment in Big Valley kept emergency officials and crews on high alert for most of the day Thursday, July 13, for fear of a potential explosion.

The southbound, 100-car Burlington Northern Railroad train en route from Klamath Falls to Reno jumped the tracks at about 9:30 a.m., just beyond the Highway 299 underpass at the entrance to the Nubieber switching yard, coming to a halt only after four of the five locomotives pulling the train and the first seven cars behind them derailed.

Three of those derailed were tank cars, fully loaded with propane, causing officials to promptly close the two-lane highway, the main artery between Redding and Alturas, and evacuate the residents of Nubieber, a small town in the south end of Big Valley. The mandatory evacuation to create a three quarter mile safety zone around the wreck in case of an explosion affected fewer than 60 people.
"It was about 9:40 that the call came in," said incident commander Lieutenant Dean Growdon of the Lassen County Sheriff's Office later, at the scene. "I responded immediately."

In addition, CDF personnel, CHP officers, Caltrans crews, the Bieber Volunteer Fire Department and the Modoc Ambulance from Adin quickly responded.

Emergency crews first on scene determined that there were no injuries to the engineer and his assistant, who left the area without comment, and there were no other personnel in the train yard.
Traffic on Highway 299 was detoured onto gravel and dirt roads around the accident from the south end of Big Valley to Bieber for over seven hours.

"At about ten o'clock, the sheriff made the decision to evacuate the town of Nubieber and wait for a HAZMAT team to show up to confirm what we really have," said Barney Ward, division chief for CDF California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and designated spokesman. He placed the number of responders to the scene at more than 50.

Although there was as yet no official determination of the cause, an examination of the crash scene revealed that the derailment likely occurred at the northernmost of two switches in the Nubieber yard as the third of five locomotives pulling the train passed over it. Four of the locomotives ultimately skidded from the track, plowing up the rail bed and coming to rest tipped to their right with their undercarriage buried in dirt and gravel.

The violence of the event was clearly evident in the wreckage of railroad cars, jackknifed and scattered like so much litter on either side of the rail bed, behind the partially buried locomotives. Bent and broken steel rails and piles of railroad ties could be seen under the derailed cars.

Two of the railcars, which were loaded with grain, skidded to the right side of the railway and split open, spilling their contents over a wide area. Another boxcar jumped to the other side of the track and crashed through the wall of a large metal warehouse or work shed adjacent to the tracks before coming to a halt.

Officials feared that the smashed building might have been occupied, but a quick search found no occupants.

Next in line were the three suspect tank cars. They were only slightly derailed, and suffered no apparent rupture, though first responders on scene reported smelling gas. It was also determined that one of the locomotive diesel fuel tanks had a small leak.

The cargo manifest informed officials that two of the tank cars contained propane. A third, it was thought, carried pentanes, a highly flammable liquid. It was later determined that all three cars contained propane.

At about four o'clock, the Shasta County HAZMAT immediate response team from Redding arrived on scene. Two specially clad and protected team members went in with "sniffers" to check for leaks or spills of flammable liquids while three backup crewmembers stood by as backup. They determined that the tank cars were intact and there were no leaks.

After the "all clear" word was given, Lieutenant Growdon assessed the daylong effort. "It's gone really well. CDF has a lot of expertise in these areas, and CHP and Caltrans have been a big help. We're in charge of the incident because it falls in our jurisdiction, but we rely heavily on their experience and knowledge."

The highway was reopened about five o'clock in the afternoon, after being closed for about eight hours. A team of specialists in derailments arrived in several well-equipped trucks to begin the repair and salvage operations.

Judge takes Cotta contest under submission

Following a three-hour hearing on Tuesday, Judge Arjuna T. Saraydarian took the election contest of local Attorney Richard Cotta against Gary Woolverton under submission and said he'll have a decision by the end of the week.

Judge Saraydarian, a visiting judge, heard the case because both local judges Fritz Barclay and Larry Dier had recused themselves.

The decision will come down to whether the Judge agrees with Cotta that Woolverton was not a legal resident of Modoc County on the day he took out nomination papers for the District Attorney's race on March 14 or whether his intentions to change his residence was sufficient.

During Tuesday's hearing, Woolverton testified that he did not live at the 100 Main Street address in Adin on March 14, which he listed on his voter registration card. He said he actually didn't have a residence in Modoc until he moved into a rental on March 24.

While Cotta represented himself, Woolverton hired an attorney, Mark Nareau of Susanville. Their initial argument was that Woolverton's intention to move to Modoc to establish residency and run for the District Attorney position was sufficient to satisfy the law. His attorney also argued that March 14, the day Woolverton took out nomination papers and registered to vote, should not be the operative date. That date should be March 15, when he returned the completed candidacy papers. The judge questioned that stance.

The judge said he was satisfied Woolverton had the intention to move to Modoc, but he wasn't forthcoming on the residency issue.

Cotta has long argued that in order to register to vote under state election code, a person has to establish his domicile in the district or county where he intends to vote. Without being a legally registered voter in the county, he contends Woolverton would not have been eligible to run for DA.
That domicile, he said, is the place a person actually lives. At the time Woolverton registered to vote on March 14, Cotta states that Woolverton did not have a residence or domicile in Modoc. Woolverton admitted he did not live in the Adin home or anywhere else in Modoc on March 14, but that he was actively looking to establish a home in Modoc.

In his closing arguments Cotta said everyone knows the "roads are paved with good intentions," but those don't satisfy the requirements of the law concerning residency in the Woolverton case.
Woolverton's attorney said it was important for the judge to consider the voters of Modoc and not disqualify Woolverton. He said the courts have historically taken liberal approaches to election issues favoring the voters.

The judge said both sides had presented interesting arguments and he would be looking into the issues, and didn't want to make a quick decision Tuesday.

Cotta filed suit against Woolverton on June 30, claiming he was not a legal candidate because he was not a registered Modoc voter and otherwise qualified to vote when the nomination papers were issued to him.

Cotta also claimed Woolverton "committed an offense against the elective franchise by falsely declaring, under penalty of perjury, his residence and domicile on his voter's registration, and on his candidate's statement, and by filing and submitting those documents knowing they had been made falsely."

Basically, Cotta claimed that Woolverton registered to vote at a property he owned in Adin, even though he had never lived there. Woolverton has stated he never lived in that home, but contends he was a Modoc resident when he registered to vote.

Woolverton was an attorney in Susanville and Redding when he registered to vote and has since opened an office in Alturas.

Modoc County Counsel and the Attorney General's office did not rule that Woolverton's name be taken off the ballot. Woolverton argued he was a legal candidate for the office.

Cotta is asking the court to rule Woolverton was not a legal candidate and, therefore, declare all of his votes illegal. Woolverton had the most votes in the election, with 1,552, but he did not receive the required majority to win in the primary. Cotta finished with 1,042 and attorney John Lawson had 885. If the court rules against Woolverton, Cotta could be declared the winner of the election.
"On or about March 14, 2006, Gary Woolverton submitted a voter registration and Statement of Candidacy listing his residence and domicile as 100 Main St., Adin . . . each signed under penalty of perjury," Cotta's suit states. "Also on March 14, the County Clerk of Modoc County issued him nomination papers. In fact, the statements made by Woolverton in his voter registration and candidate's statement were false, in that he had not established his domicile at 100 Main Street, Adin, or any other place in Modoc . . . by his own admission, he did not actually establish his domicile in Modoc County until on or about March 26, 2006."

Cotta cites Elections Code sections stating that in order to register to vote, residence is defined as a "person's domicile." Domicile is further defined as the place "where his or her habitat is fixed, wherein the person has the intention of remaining . . . that a person can have only one domicile and that the home where the person claims a homeowner's exemption is the person's domicile."

Woolverton argues that his intention to change domiciles to Modoc County solves the requirement for voter registration. "Such intent is manifested if there is a change of registration for voting purposes and that is followed by some positive acts or declarations," he states. "It is largely a matter of intention and there is no waiting period when one is moving from one California County to another, and motive or reason is generally irrelevant.

November election has local issues

The candidate nomination period for the November General Election began July 17 and runs through August 11.

There are several local positions open in the election. Two seats are up in the Modoc Joint Unified School District, those of trustees Karen Hays and Patt Swanson.

Four seats will be on the ballot for the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District. In Cedarville, the seats of Gene Erquiaga and James Laacke expire; in Ft. Bidwell the seat of Steve Smith is up and an election for the remaining term of Dean Cockrell, who resigned will be up. Bill Bostic was appointed to that position, but will have to run for election to fill out Cockrell's remaining term.

Three seats are open on the County Board of Education: District Two's Betsy Ingraham; District Three's Dixie Server; and District Five's Marcella Haynes.

In addition, there will be elections in the Cedarville and Newell water districts and all 13 fire districts.
In addition, there could be a run-off for the Modoc District Attorney position between Gary Woolverton and Richard Cotta.

Doolittle agrees to debate Brown

While the dates or number haven't been set up, Rep. John Doolittle has apparently agreed to debate Democratic Challenger Lt. Colonel Charlie Brown.

While Brown is focused on the war in Iraq, a better plan for fighting terrorism, health care, education, corruption, the economy, the environment and the federal budget deficit, Doolittle couched his acceptance of the debate (closer to November 7) on gay marriage, and "values issues."

Doolittle is in the middle of an ethical battle, covered widely across the nation, concerning his ties to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and the fact that his wife Julie is receiving 15 percent of some of his leadership political action committee campaign contributions for her consulting firm. Those funds have been used for Doolittle family expenditures, according to national news reports.

Doolittle is considered to be in a safe 4th Congressional District and his ethical lapses have not seemed to bother his base supporters.

Brown has said he doesn't feel the apparent corruption should be allowed to stand or be rewarded.
In a written statement, Doolittle cited differences between himself and Brown. "While I believe marriage should be between and man and a woman, you support gay marriage," he charged and also targeted the ACLU as "an organization that has attacked veterans, religious organizations, our pledge of Allegiance and even the Boy Scouts."Brown who is retired from the Air Force said he was "disappointed in Doolittle's divisive response" and hoped Doolittle would honor his promise to debate, but well in advance of the November election.

"Our federal government is the biggest it's ever been, the largest debt in our nation's history," Brown said. "Corruptions run rampant in Washington D.C. and our children are at war."
Brown has said Doolittle talks about supporting the troops and veterans, but the reality is something entirely different, which he wants to point out in debate.

Obituaries:

Franklin R. Lew

Former Modoc County Assessor, Franklin R. Lew, 87, of Baker City, Oregon, died at St. Elizabeth Health Services July 12, 2006.

At his request, there will be no funeral services. A family reunion, and a time to honor Franklin, is being planned for August 2006.

Franklin was born November 11, 1918, at Baker, Oregon to Frank and June Brown Lew, a pioneer family. He attended schools in Baker and graduated from Baker High School in 1937. He later took an accounting course from La Salle Extension University and many appraisal courses in Sacramento, CA.

In 1939, he went to work for Douglas Aircraft in Los Angeles, CA, and it was there he was called to full time service with the Oregon National Guard. He was a Master Sergeant in Chemical Warfare. He was honorably discharged in September of 1945. He returned to Baker, Oregon to help his father at Lew Bros. Tire Shop, who had started the tire shop with his brothers, years
before.

After his father passed away, Franklin and Pleas Brown, his cousin, purchased the tire shop. It was during this time that Franklin and Phyllis Miller were going together. They later married on September 20, 1947, at St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Baker, Oregon.

Franklin later sold the tire shop to Pleas and moved to Alturas, CA where he worked in the office of Loveness Lumber Co. He then went to work for Modoc

County as Auditor-Appraiser and later was appointed Assessor in 1968, and was Assessor until he retired in 1984.As Assessor, Franklin was on the State Timber Advisory Committee, President of the Northern Assessor's Association (consisting of 27 Counties) and the Modoc County precedents case involving possessory interest assessment regarding grazing and public lands at the time the Timber Yield Law came into effect, whereby a timber yield tax was assessed upon timber harvest, and
also at the time Proposition 13 was passed by the California voters in June of 1978. He had many friends in the Assessor's Assn. and also the State Board of Equalization.

Franklin was a member of St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Alturas. He was a life member of the Elks Lodge B.P.O.E., having joined in Baker and transferred to Alturas

Lodge No. 1756. He had the oldest in years membership at the time of his death. In Alturas, he was President of the Alturas Rifle & Pistol Club, a life member of the V.F.W., a life member of the American Legion, and also was active in the Kiwanis.

Franklin was also the founding President of the Eastern Oregon Powder River Sportsman Club, and built the membership up to almost 1500. He was Vice

President of the Oregon State Sportsman's Council for one year. His hobbies included fishing, shooting, golfing, fly tying, playing bridge and reading.

He and Phyllis moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon, for medical reasons, leaving Alturas after living here for 35 years. After two years in Klamath Falls, they decided to move back home to Baker City, after being away for forty years.

Franklin was preceded in death by his parents, his brother and sister-in-law, Jack & Jane Lew, his brother Lawrence Lew, and his brother-in-law, H.W. "Bill" Miller. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Phyllis of Baker City; sisters-in-law: Frances Lew of Ceres, CA and Monte Miller of Walla Walla, WA; nephews: Larry Lew and his wife Cheryl of Ceres, CA, Vaughn Lew and his
wife Glenda of Ceres, CA, Doug Lew and his wife Sharon of LaQuinta, CA, Rusty Lew and his wife Elizabeth of Hawaii, Rob Miller of Baker City, OR, LaMarr Miller of Walla Walla, WA, Mike Miller and his wife Joan of Walla Walla, WA; nieces: Dixie Ziemer and her husband Larry of Halfway, OR, Mary Kincaid and her husband Jerry of Baker City, OR, Marty Rose and her husband Bud of Kennewick, WA, and Laurie Miller of Walla Walla, WA; cousin Edith Lucas and her husband Walter of Danville, CA; and many cousins in Polson and Missoula, Montana. He especially wanted to mention his old friend since tricycle days, Bill Kirkpatrick. Also an old fishing budding in Alturas, Marvin Kroepelin, and his many Assessor friends, one especially, Josie Johnson.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Shriners' Hospital for Crippled Children or to the charity of one's choice, in care of Gray's West & Company Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker City, OR 97814.

Gilbert Lee Conklin

Lifetime Cedarville resident Gilbert Lee Conklin, 79, passed away July 11, 2006 at Surprise Valley Hospital in Cedarville, CA. Gilbert was the last surviving of nine Conklin children, born to John R. Conklin and Rose Lee Henry. Gilbert was born on December 28, 1926, in Cedarville and was reared on the Conklin ranch, south of Cedarville. He grew up during the hardships of the Depression years.
A person of good character, he was also a positive influence on his grandchildren as he watched over them while they were growing up. His broad shoulders, tall stature and strength were equal to his goodness to others, his kindness and sincerity. He was conscientious about how things affected people around him. He also kept an eye on young people, to make sure they were safe, whether it was fixing a flat tire on their bike or there to lend them a hand.

At one time, he was approached to play a role in the T.V. series Maverick, which he politely declined, when Hollywood scouts were in Surprise Valley and rural towns, looking for the right characters. He was a quiet man, but "with a voice deeper than John Wayne's," recalled his grandson Sean. Mr. Conklin knew the Warner Mountains "like the back of his hand" and had worked in the logging industry in a number of capacities for over 30 years, mostly in Modoc County, operating a skidder or other equipment, building roads, landings and falling trees and later, as the owner/operator of his own logging truck "Conklin Trucking." He had worked for such logging companies as Lindgren, Loveness, Lawson and Laxague, until he was injured in a logging accident some 35 years ago. He overcame the limitations endured from that accident and later served as a preacher for the Surprise Valley Christian Church. He was always strong of faith. He was also very patriotic.

Gilbert loved riding motorcycles and did so for most of his life. He was a member of the Gold Wing motorcycle club. He also loved hiking, camping and telling stories. He had a respect for guns, but had given up hunting as a young man, because it was no longer "novel" to him after growing up during the Depression and having to hunt deer to keep the family fed. He still appreciated the beauty and mechanics of guns and taught his grandchildren to respect them.

After meeting the love of his life, Margaret Ohm of Alturas, introduced by mutual friends and his brother, the two were later married in Minden, NV on August 31, 1953. They would have shared a loving marriage for 53 years, next month. Gilbert was pleased they were able to celebrate their 50th anniversary together.

His grandchildren described their grandfather as having "had so much respect for older people and as a gentle person who helped everybody."

Gilbert is survived by his wife, Margaret of Cedarville, CA; his daughter Friede Violante of Paradise, CA; his grandson Sean Power of Indianapolis, IN; his granddaughter Dawn Soriano of San Angelo, TX and grandson Jamie Brinsfield of Paradise, CA. He also has three great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Services for Mr. Conklin were held graveside on Saturday, July 15 at 2 p.m. at the Cedarville Cemetery. Kerr Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.

Those who wish may direct memorial contributions to the Surprise Valley Community Hospital, P.O. Box 246, Cedarville, CA 96104.

Marie E. Wilson

Marie Eleanor Wilson, 81, passed away of natural causes on July 13, 2006, at Warnerview Convalescent Hospital in Alturas, CA.

Marie was born in Dunsmuir, CA on January 20, 1925. She married Ken Wilson and was a wife, mother, grandmother and homemaker. The Wilsons moved to Alturas in 1979. Mrs. Wilson loved to go fishing and camping. She played Dominos and dice for hours and loved to win. Mr. Wilson passed away in 1987.

She is survived by her son David Fletcher of Alturas, CA; son Marvin Fletcher of Sacramento, CA; daughter Shirley White of Arizona and 11 grandchildren.

At Mrs. Wilson's advance request, no services will be held.

Olmo memorial service set

University of California, Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology, along with the family of Dr. Harold P. Olmo will host a Memorial Service on Sunday, July 30, 2006. The service will be held at the University Club, on Old Davis Road and will begin at 2:00 p.m. Attendees are requested to call 530-754-8368 or email vljohnson@ucdavis.edu for directions to the University Club and so that adequate seating can be provided. Olmo, a world re-known viticulturist was responsible for the development of many new grape varieties. His contributions to industry make him one of the major contributors to wine quality in the state. The service will be held on what was to be the eve of his 97th birthday.

Sports

Tribal Gathering Scheduled at Medicine Lake

The Pit River Tribe will hold their annual traditional gathering at Medicine Campground at Medicine Lake this weekend. This is a time for the elders to teach the younger generation the old ways. The tribe welcomes respectful observation of their event.

Three of the four campgrounds at Medicine Lake are open to the public. AH
Hogue Campground, Hemlock Campground and Headquarters Campground are all
available. Only the Medicine Campground is under special use permit for
the use of the tribe.

"This is a very special event that is held every year in the tribe’s sacred
area," said Laurence Crabtree, District Ranger. "They have been doing this
gathering at Medicine Lake for centuries. We are glad they can continue in
the important traditions of their culture."

The Modoc National Forest offers recreation opportunities over 1.6 million
acres with 29 developed sites, in the Big Valley, Devil’s Garden,
Doublehead and Warner Mountain Ranger Districts.

California breeding population of ducks increases for second consecutive year

The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has completed its annual breeding pair survey and both mallard and total duck species have increased this year. The breeding population of mallards increased from 318,000 in 2005 to 399,000 this year (a 26 percent increase), and total ducks (all species combined) increased from 615,000 to 649,000 (a six percent increase). Mallards, for the first time in several years, are slightly above (seven percent) the long-term average.

"The proportion of young ducks in the harvest last year was very high, due to the excellent spring nesting conditions in 2005, so we expected an increase in the breeding population estimate this year," said Melanie Weaver, one of the DFG biologists that conduct the survey. "We also expect good production this year and a larger fall flight this year because of the late, abundant spring rains."

DFG biologists and warden pilots have conducted this survey using fixed-wing aircraft since 1955. The California Waterfowl Association, under contract with DFG for the past 13 years, also participates in the survey by sampling a portion of the transects using a helicopter. The population estimates are for the surveyed areas only, although surveyed areas include the majority of the suitable duck-nesting habitat in the state. These areas include wetland and agricultural areas in northeastern California, the Central Valley from Red Bluff to Bakersfield, the Suisun Marsh, and some costal valleys.

The DFG is waiting for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service breeding population estimates from the preliminary breeding areas of waterfowl - Alaska, north-central United States and Canada. The majority of California’s wintering duck population originates from the federally surveyed areas. Once DFG receives the estimates and the federal frameworks for waterfowl hunting regulations, the DFG will then make a recommendation to the Fish and Game Commission regarding this year’s waterfowl hunting regulations.

Fall soccer deadlines nearing

Fall soccer early registration for all youths four-and-a-half to 13 years of age will be July 25 and 26 at the Modoc Family Resource Center, just east of Alturas Elementary School, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. each night.

All youth must be registered prior to August 1 and a $10 late fee will be added after July 26. If a child is new to Modoc soccer, parents are asked to bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate.

For further information, contact De Funk at 233-1728 or Marlese Pierce at 233-5691.

News

Court rules in Woolverton's favor

On Monday, Judge Arjuna Saraydarian issued a decision, which legitimized Gary Woolverton's candidacy for Modoc District Attorney, surviving a contest from candidate Richard Cotta, Jr.
On Tuesday, Cotta told the Modoc Record he would not actively campaign for the DA's office in the November election.

"I respectfully disagree with Judge Saraydarian's ruling, and am disappointed by it," Cotta said. "However, my duty as an attorney is to accept the ruling regardless. My remedy, if I chose to pursue it, would be to seek review of the Court's opinion and decision at the appellate level. I will not seek such review. Nor will I continue to actively campaign for the office of District Attorney.

"I would expect that, although my name will be on the November ballot, Mr. Woolverton will obtain the votes necessary to constitute a majority, and that he will be the next DA of Modoc County. I would like to congratulate him in advance."Basically, Cotta challenged Woolverton's legal status as a candidate for Modoc County DA and his voter registration. Woolverton was not actually living in Modoc at the time he registered to vote March 14.

The judge ruled that Woolverton had the intent to move to Modoc and basically had taken the necessary steps to satisfy the residency requirement, even though he had never stayed at the Adin address he listed on his initial voter registration card March 14.

"I enjoy living in Modoc County, even when it is so blasted hot, am a homeowner here, and have a good job," said Cotta. "It is my intent to continue as county defender, and I will, of course, perform that function to the best of my ability."I would like to thank all of those people – especially the law enforcement community --- who offered me their support, work, encouragement, and votes in the primary election. Although I do not expect to be the next District Attorney, I look forward to continuing our relationships as friends, neighbors and as the ‘loyal opposition'."

Woolverton said he felt vindicated by the judge's ruling and said he has always felt he would prevail based upon his understanding of applicable law. He said he plans on being the next DA of Modoc.
The judge ruled, in part that Woolverton had the intent to "come to a new residence in the County of Modoc with the intention of making that his permanent home" and that he "took affirmative steps to complete his removal from Susanville and to relocate to Modoc."

The judge stated that Woolverton, according to court testimony, had started his decision making process to move to Modoc in November, 2005 and continued to make plans after that date up to and including the time he actually registered to vote.

Woolverton's "manifestations of intent were united with his conduct," the judge ruled. "He sought and received an agreement from the Gagnons to extend escrow on the Adin residence so he could reside there. He filled out and filed his new registration form declaring his residence in Modoc . . . on March 12 he contacted Warner Mountain Realty for rental property. On March 13 he instructed his staff to furnish his Adin address and his staff began the process of collecting and moving his property on March 14."

In addition, the judge ruled, "Domicile ‘depends not upon proving particular facts but whether all the facts and circumstances taken together, tending to show that a man has his home or domicile in one place, overbalance all the like proofs, tending to establish it in another' . . . Considering all the facts and circumstances proven here together, the Court finds by clear and convincing evidence that (Woolverton) has satisfied his burden of proof that by both his intent and acts in furtherance of that intent he did remove from Lassen County and established a permanent legal residence or domicile in Modoc County on March 14."

The judge ruled Woolverton's voter registration, then, was valid and he was a properly registered voter in Modoc on March 14. He ruled that all the nomination papers were proper and he was eligible to run for the office.

Woolverton had the most votes in the June primary election, with 1,552, but he did not receive the required majority to win in the primary. Cotta finished with 1,042 and attorney John Lawson had 885.

Anklin set to enter plea, resign

Modoc County Supervisor Ray Anklin, who was scheduled for jury trial on August 15 on felony charges alleging one count of residential burglary, three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor, may enter a plea requiring him to resign from the Board of Supervisors.

According to Modoc District Attorney Jordan Funk, the jury trial was "vacated" Monday on the representation of Anklin's lawyer that Anklin intended to change his pleas from "not guilty" to "no contest".

"I am not at liberty to discuss the specifics of the plea agreement until Mr. Anklin actually enters his ‘no contest' plea," said Funk in a press release. "However, the terms are essentially those which his attorney and I have been discussing for several months. The victim's family has approved the agreement.

"I can say this: as quid pro quo for not insisting on a felony conviction, the agreement does require Mr. Anklin to resign from the Board of Supervisors. Convicted felons cannot hold elective office in California and in exchange for our promise not to insist on felony convictions, the defendant has agreed to resign from the board."

Funk said the plea bargain will allow Anklin to continue to own firearms.
"I expect his resignation to occur at or before the next meeting of the Modoc County Board of Supervisors," said Funk. "Anklin's change of plea is set for August 7."

Candidates taking out November papers

Candidates for the November General Election have until August 11 to file nomination papers.
There are several local positions open in November. A pair of seats is up in the Modoc Joint Unified School District, those of trustees Karen Hays and Patt Swanson.

Hays has filed for re-election and two challengers have emerged, Erin Bevil and Eric Sittig.

Four seats will be on the ballot for the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District. In Cedarville, the seats of Gene Erquiaga and James Laacke expire; in Ft. Bidwell the seat of Steve Smith is up and an election for the remaining term of Dean Cockrell, who resigned will be up. Bill Bostic was appointed to that position, but will have to run for election to fill out Cockrell's remaining term.
Incumbent Roy Wright has file for re-election on the Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School Board. The seat of Donald Kirby is also up for election.

Three seats are open on the County Board of Education: District Two's Betsy Ingraham; District Three's Dixie Server; and District Five's Marcella Haynes.

In addition, there will be elections in the Cedarville and Newell water districts and all 13 fire districts.

Rash of fires plague Modoc National Forest

Lightning storms over the last five days started many fires on the Modoc
National Forest. About 30 fires were found and extinguished with less than
one acre burned.

Predicting and planning for the lightning cells, Fire officials had brought
in additional resources to aggressively attack any starts. Two hot shot
crews were here from Arizona. Three additional engines were in the area
from Calif., Ariz. and Ore.

Starting Saturday, the Bump Fire took off on a good run just south of Clear
Lake on the Doublehead Ranger District. The fire burned from Forest
managed land across a section of the Burns Brother's Ranch and back on to
the Forest. The fire was contained on Tuesday at 552 acres. The Bump Fire
still has some internal torching and smoking. It is being monitored and
rehabilitation work is begun.

Sunday, two fires started in the Timbered Ridge area of the Devil's Garden.
They were caught and contained quickly.

Tuesday, a smoke was sighted in the Joseph Creek Basin, on the west slope
of the Warner Mountains. It was visible from Alturas and burning in steep
remote terrain. Hand crews hiked in and a helicopter worked overhead.
Crews continue to work the fire and are making good progress. The fire is
contained, and control was expected Wednesday.

Information about each named fire can be found on the national incident
website at: www.inciweb.org.

Trial ends on molester conviction

On Monday, following a four-day trial, a Modoc Jury convicted Carl DeWayne Hughes of continuous molestation of a 13-year-old girl.

According to District Attorney Jordan Funk, the molestation began in 1997 when Hughes moved to New Pine Creek, Oregon (on the California side of the border) with his 13-year-old stepdaughter and continued for nearly two years.

The case involved repeated acts of intercourse and other sex acts with the child in Modoc County and in Lake County, Oregon. Funk expects Lake County to extradite Hughes following his sentencing in Modoc Courts Sept. 12.

"This was an important case for Modoc County," said Funk. "It is without question the worst molestation case we have prosecuted in my seven years in this office. I am proud of the jury. They were attentive, intelligent and saw clearly that the victim was truthful. She was a brave and very compelling witness."

Funk also had two expert witnesses testify for the prosecution, including Dr. Anthony Urquiza, a renowned expert on Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome.

The case carries a sentence of six, 12 or 16 years in prison and Funk is asking for the longest term. "If the court determines that the aggravating sentencing factors outweigh the mitigating factors, then the court must sentence the defendant to the upper term of 16 years," Funk states. "This is a highly aggravated case. I think there is a strong likelihood that the court will impose the upper term of 16 years in state prison. That is the result we are seeking."

Obituaries:

Ted Botello

Alturas resident Ted Botello passed away at his home Sunday, July 23, 2006, after a two-year battle with cancer. Ted was born Theodore Allen Botello in Whittier, CA on September 25, 1955. He moved to Alturas in 1972, where he met his Modoc High School sweetheart and wife to be, Glenda Golden. They moved to Southern California for a few years only to return to Alturas where they have lived for the past 30 years.

Ted worked for Hugh's Aircraft, Modoc County Road Department and United Parcel Service where he had worked for the past 15 years, before he was forced to retire because of his illness.

Ted enjoyed spending time with his family, fishing, camping, hunting, gardening, photography and riding four-wheelers with his sons. He enjoyed old cars and was a co-founder of Modoc Classic Cruisers. Ted enjoyed listening to music and he liked singing along with Karaoke music.

Ted is survived by his wife Glenda, sons Joey, Alan and Chris, all of Alturas, CA; mother Betty Botello of Grants Pass, OR; brothers, Delmar Botello of Goldendale, WA and Marc and Julian Botello of Grants Pass, OR; sisters Shariie Mill of Las Vegas, NV; Bonnie Miner of Alturas, CA; Lisa Martin of Applegate, OR and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his little sister Toni Porter, who has been waiting for him to join her and our glorious father in heaven. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at his home, 1300 N. Warner Street, Alturas, CA on Saturday, July 29 at 11 a.m. Donations in Ted's memory will be used to establish a Hospice in Modoc County, with more information to be available about this in the future.
Kerr Mortuary is handling arrangements.

Ruth McCollum Methvin

Retired Fall River High School teacher, Ruth McCollum Methvin, 89, of McArthur, CA, passed away of natural causes on July 19, 2006, at Mayers Memorial Hospital, Fall River Mills, CA.

Born October 5, 1916 in Calgary Alberta, Canada, she moved with both her parents and sister from Canada to Burbank, CA, driving the long journey in a vintage car of the times. Her father died when she was about six years old. Her mother died when she was in high school. Ruth worked hard and held many jobs, as she was determined to put herself through college, which she did and earned her teaching credential from University of California, Santa Barbara.

She married Ray Methvin, formerly of Alturas. They lived in Massachusetts when they were first married and Ruth lived there while Ray served in World War II and was stationed in Europe. Their daughter Edna was born in Massachusetts. After Ray's discharge, they moved to Pondosa, a logging camp near Mt. Shasta.

In 1956, they moved to McArthur, where Ruth taught Home Economics at Fall River High School for 20 years until she retired in 1975. Their son William died at age 16. Her husband Ray passed away eight years ago.

She leaves her sister, Helen Houk of Sacramento; daughter Edna Eades of Lookout; her grandchildren Scott Eades of San Luis Obispo and Shelly Eades Kelly of San Francisco; two great-grandchildren Hayden and Luke Eades of San Luis Obispo and a multitude of students who continue to use daily, the things that Ruth Methvin taught them.

Services were held at the Pine Grove Cemetery in McArthur on Saturday, July 22 at 2 p.m. The Rev. Tom Brackney of Community United Methodist Church was the officiant. McDonald's Chapel Burney handled arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Fort Crook Historical Society, P.O. Box 397, Fall River Mills, CA 96028.

Ricky Waters

Ricky Waters, age 50, and a resident of Cedarville and Surprise Valley Hospital's long-term care for the past seven months, passed away of natural causes on June 21, 2006. He was born March 23, 1956 in South Carolina. At his advance request, no services will be held. Kerr Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Shelby Duran

Shelby LaRae Duran, 15, of Mesa, Arizona, died Saturday, July 22, 2006 in a car accident in Mesa, AZ. Miss Duran, a student, was born in Alturas, CA.

Services will be held tonight at 5 p.m. on July 27, at Apache Junction Mortuary, 398 Old West Highway, Apache Junction, AZ 85219.

Miss Duran is survived by (no last names or residences provided by mortuary) her parents Connie and Joseph; sisters Desi and Layken, brother Michael, grandparents Bonnie, Sammy and Al; aunts Roxanna and Tina; uncles Lee and Clint. Apache Junction Mortuary is handling arrangements.

Sports

Football players need physicals

The Modoc Braves will start football practice August 14. Players should work on getting their physicals now.

Wood will be opening the weight room this summer Monday through Thursdays and the physical and sports information forms will be available there. Physicals and forms must be completed before the first day of practice.

On Saturday, Taylor Dunn will play in the Lions All-Star game at Redding. He was selected for defensive end and offensive tackle. Travis Wood was also named to the team, but because of CDF fire danger, could not participate.

The game at Shasta College starts at 7:30 p.m.

Hight stays in third place

Seattle, Sunday: Robert Hight, driver of the Team Castrol/Automobile Club of Southern California Mustang, was the No. 1 qualifier for a category-best fifth time this season, posted the quickest time during eliminations (4.902 seconds) and sped to the top speed of the event at 318.17 mph. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get past Tony Pedregon in round two, losing traction at half track.

"I thought we had the car to win," he said. "It spun the tires (in the second round) and there was no catching Tony."

Despite his fate, the 2005 NHRA Rookie of the Year was able to hold onto third place in points behind Ron Capps and John Force.

Information from National Hot Rod Association website.

Last chance for soccer

Late Fall Modoc Youth Soccer registration will be accepted until Thursday, August 3. Families are asked to call Marlese Pierce, the new soccer registrar at 233-5691/ Scholarships for children, are available. The cost is $35 for returning players and $50 for new players and their uniforms. Families with three or more children and who do not need uniforms, cost is $70. New players will need to show proof of age by their birth certificate. All registrations must be completed by August 2, for team selection and to purchase uniforms and equipment for the beginning of the season. For more information, please contact De at 233-7128.

Hunter Education class coming

A hunter education class is scheduled for two consecutive Saturdays, August 12 and 19 at the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge headquarters. The first class session will start at 9 a.m.

There is no fee for the class or materials.Prospective students are required to register and pick up a student packet at the Belligerent Duck in Alturas, prior to the first class.

Students who successfully complete the class will receive a certificate which will allow the purchase of a hunting license.

Additional information may be obtained by calling the California Department of Fish and Game volunteer instructor, Mike Wolter at 530-233-3632.

News

Candidates taking out November papers

Several people are expressing interest in the upcoming November General Election. Local candidates have until August 11 to file nomination papers.

There are several local positions opening in November. A pair of seats is up in the Modoc Joint Unified School District, those of trustees Karen Hays and Patt Swanson. Hays has filed for re- election and two challengers have emerged, Erin Bevil and Eric Sittig.

There are four seats on the ballot for the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District. In Cedarville, the seats of Gene Erquiaga and James Laacke expire; in Ft. Bidwell the seat of Steve Smith is up and an election for the remaining term of Dean Cockrell, who resigned will be up. Bill Bostic was appointed to that position, but will have to run for election to fill out Cockrell's remaining term. As of Wednesday, no one had filed nomination papers in that district.

Incumbent Roy Wright has file for re-election on the Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School Board. The seat of Donald Kirby is also up for election.

Three seats are open on the County Board of Education: District Two's Rebekah Ingraham; District Three's Dixie Server; and District Five's Marcella Haynes. Ingraham and Server have filed for re-election.

In addition, there will be elections in the Cedarville and Newell water districts and all 13 fire districts.

July tied heat record

While the major heat spell that lasted from July 14 through July 28 didn't break any daily records in Modoc, it did tie a pair.

On July 23, the mercury hit 100 degrees, tying the record high set in 2003 and on July 25, it hit 99 degrees, tying the record set in 1961. For 15 straight days, the 14th though the 28th, the high temperature was above 90 degrees.

From July 14 through the 27, the temperature went to 100 degrees three times, and above 95 degrees 10 times. For the entire month of July the highs were 90 degrees or above on 23 days.

In addition to being hot, July was also very dry with only .03 inches of precipitation measured, below the average of .30 inches.

Fires Quiet, Lightning Kind

Predicted lightning storms early this week were mild or non-existent. Only one new lightning fire was reported. It was in the South Warner Mountains and was suppressed quickly before it reached a full acre in size.

The Sage Fire is still staffed with 58 people including two hand crews and
four engines. Juniper trees are still torching in the interior of the
fire, but no additional acres have burned. The fire remains at about 6,200
acres.

An additional 22 fires are smoldering on the Modoc National Forest. They
are being monitored and managed using the appropriate suppression strategy for their locations.
Lightning is predicted for later in the week, and will hopefully bring
associated moisture. Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife, National Park
Service, State, BLM, and Volunteer Fire Departments all cooperate in the
initial attack efforts. Two hand crews from Alaska who are currently
working on the Sage Fire will also be available in the county to handle
initial attack as needed.

Regularly updated information on these fires is available on the incident
information website at www.inciweb.org.

Horse infected with West Nile found in Ravendale

A horse infected with the West Nile Virus has been reported in Ravendale, by Dr. Joe Catania, of the Modoc Veterinary Clinic in Alturas.

The case was confirmed when lab results were returned Wednesday, said Catania. Catania has been concerned that West Nile was creeping closer and closer to Modoc over the past few years.
He said it's vital that horse owners in this area get their animals vaccinated now to protect them. Ravendale is 52 miles south of Alturas.

The state has also released this following information: a 27-year-old Kern County man has been infected with West Nile virus (WNV), the first reported human case in California this year, State Public Health Officer Dr. Mark Horton announced today. The man is hospitalized with the neurological form of WNV infection.

"This first confirmed human West Nile virus infection in California reminds us that we are moving into the high-risk season with the arrival of hot weather," Horton said. "The two most important steps people can take to prevent West Nile virus is to protect themselves from being bitten by a mosquito and to report dead birds to assist the state and local agencies with surveillance efforts."
Tests conducted by the California Department of Health Services' Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory in Richmond confirmed the WNV infection. To date, WNV has been detected in 13 of California's 58 counties in 31 dead birds and 11 mosquito samples. In 2005, a total of 935 human WNV infections were reported in 40 counties, including 19 deaths.

WNV is transmitted to humans and animals through a mosquito bite from a mosquito that has been infected by feeding on an infected bird. Although the risk of serious illness to most people is low, less than one percent of individuals will develop a more serious illness.

Horton urged Californians to take these simple steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites and WNV:

• Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaradin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, according to label instructions, whenever you are outside.
• Eliminate all standing water in buckets, flowerpots, old tires, gutters and other sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding.
• Be sure all window and door screens fit tightly and have no rips or tears.
• Wear long sleeves and long pants if you're going to be out at dawn or dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.

Approximately 80 percent of people who are infected with WNV will have no symptoms. Up to 20 percent of the people who become infected will display symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash on the chest, stomach and back. Less than one percent of infected individuals will develop severe illness that can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis.

For more information about WNV, visit www.westnile.ca.gov. The public is strongly encouraged to report dead birds on the website or by calling toll-free (877) WNV-BIRD (877-968-2473).

Hospital debt jumps up to $5.6 million

Modoc Medical Center's debt to the county increased at the end of July to $5,601,957.81 according to Modoc County Auditor Judi Stevens.

That's up from June's $5,355,838.60, which was down from the previous month's $5,531,096.76,
That amounts to a increase of $246,119 in the debt. Month by month the debt looked like this:

September $4,690,812; October $4,741,129; November $4,585,423; December $4,867,652; January $4,793,393; and February $5,071,818 and March $5,366.613 and April $5,531,096.
The increase in debt from September, 2005 has increased by $991,145.

The Modoc Record will continue to publish the actual debt at the end of each month.

Obituaries:

Vern Hill

Our most heart-felt thanks go out to all who have expressed condolence and shared memories of our father, Vern L. Hill. Every card and call has eased our feeling of loss.

A gathering of Vern's friends and family will beheld at the Cedarville Cemetery, followed by a potluck lunch at the Cedarville Community Church Hall on August 12, 2006 at 11 a.m. Please join us in this opportunity to share stories and celebrate his life.

--John and Becky DederickLouise

Marjorie 'Marge' Smith

Alturas resident Louise Marjorie "Marge" Smith was born in Tucumcari, New Mexico, the youngest of three children to James Davis and Annie Pearl Bruce (Lamb), on April 9, 1926.

Her father was a surveyor and a farmer but most notably he was a member of the New Mexico State House of representatives, also the New Mexico State Corporations Commissioner, all while working as an engineer for the Southern Pacific railroad. Her mother was a dedicated wife, mother, and homemaker. Marge completed her education through high school in the small town where she was born.

In 1944, after he returned from active duty in World War II, she married Johnnie Green, a local business owner and welder. She gave birth to their two children, oldest James Bruce, followed by Linda Louise. They moved to Orange County California. Big city stress took it's toll on their marriage leading to divorce in 1951.

She went to work for the Department of the Navy as a secretary for a period of time.

She dated, and later married Ted Sallee. Some time later, she gave birth to her youngest son Darryl Kevin.

Eager to serve, and become involved in her children's education she served as president of the local chapter of the P.T.A.

She enjoyed camping with the family and day trips to the beach whenever possible. Although she was not a swimmer, Marge made sure her children were able to enjoy the experience.

Marge loved to sing and play piano and shared her gift with those at her church.

Marge survived a serious head on collision on the way home from work, but broken bones, a concussion and a bruised heart were followed by months of recovery.

Marge and Ted divorced in 1965.

In effort to be there for her children by day, she worked nights in the processing department for a national bank. She later applied for and was hired by the U.S. Post Office giving her many challenges and opportunities to grow and advance, leading to the purchase of her own home. She was even able to tour the Hawaiian islands.

She dated Dan Smith a railroad worker and after two years of sharing a common love for travel, they married. Among their travels was an extended trip to tour Europe.

In 1975, Marge suffered from minor spinal damage and was retired. This gave her the opportunity to sell her home in Southern California and re-locate to Alturas where she found the life she always dreamed of. She became involved in many local organizations, the Grange, the Modoc Medical Center Hospital Auxiliary, and T.O.P.S. Marge loved to hunt for treasure at yard sales.

In 2001 after a fall, she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and Osteoporosis. For several years her oldest son Bruce, tirelessly, lovingly cared for her and took her on vacations as well as driving her to Stanford University hospital for treatment of numerous conditions related to her Parkinson's. He also assumed the responsibility for helping her physically and emotionally through all of the years of her declining health.

In 2003, she needed to accept full time care. Her wishes were to spend her final years under the loving care of Modoc Medical Center's long-term care and Dr. Ed Richert and, in the company of her many friends. She loved the many activities available to her. Local church services, the celebration of holidays, bingo, and her T.V. and music.

As years passed, Marge became less able to participate in those things she enjoyed. On July 30, 2006 the Lord called her home. Her family will miss her very much, but realize to be absent from us, is to be present with the Lord, and without pain or disability.

Marge is survived by her oldest brother James and sister-in-law Maxine who reside in Granite Bay, CA. Her older brother Alfred went home to be with the Lord July of 1982. Her three children, oldest son Bruce, youngest son Kevin of Alturas, and daughter Linda Huckeba of Auburn, Washington.

Marge has nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to the Modoc Medical Center Auxiliary.

On Wednesday, a viewing was held at Faith Baptist Church in Alturas, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon, with services following at noon at the church. Graveside services followed at the Alturas Cemetery with both Baptist and LDS speakers and dedication of the grave.

Shelby LaRae Duran
'Bell'

Shelby LaRae Duran was born to Connie Lynne Sweeney and Joseph Ted Duran on July 5, 1991 at Modoc Medical Center in Alturas, CA. Shelby passed away at the age of 15 years, on July 22, 2006, in Mesa, Arizona.

Shelby LaRae was born and raised in Alturas. She spent a lot of her childhood on the family farm in Cedarville, CA. This is where Shelby, her brother Michael, sister Desirra and cousins Erica and Aaron grew up. Shelby was the youngest of five, but she was the bravest.

In July of 1999, Shelby and her family moved to Mesa, AZ, where she attended various schools and enjoyed the change from country to city life. She grew into a beautiful, carefree young woman. Shelby loved to take photographs of everyone, especially herself in all kinds of poses. She loved music and dancing. Her favorite thing to do was to have a good time with her family and friends.
Shelby is survived by her mother Connie Sweeney of Mesa, AZ; father Ted Duran of Alturas, CA; brother Michael Sweeney; sisters Desirra and Layken Duran of Mesa, AZ; great granny Ollie Lasater; grandmother Bonnie Belding of Cedarville, CA; grandfather Sammy Sweeney of Ft. Bidwell, CA; grandfather Al Duran of Alturas, CA; aunt Connie Cole of Cedarville; aunt Vida Perry of Cedarville, aunt Roxanna Norman and special cousins Erica and Aaron Baldridge and Cody Norman of Apache Junction, AZ; uncle Lee and Aunt Tina Sweeney of Gerlach, NV; and numerous loved ones.
Shelby was preceded in death by Jonnie "Muffet" Cole, grandmother Jackie Duran, great uncle Johnny Cole, uncle Desi Duran and cousin Robert Oliver.

Shelby LaRae will always be remembered as a beautiful carefree spirit, and is an angel among us. Shelby's Motto: Roll Carefree, but kick up a fight if you have to!

Condolences may be sent to: Connie Sweeney, 1769 E. 37th Ave., Apache Junction, AZ 85219.

Edward Conrad Kloss, Jr.

Edward Conrad Kloss, Jr., "Professional Bull Shipper," who came to Modoc County for many years for his business, was born March 29,1921 in Franklin, CA and passed away July 20, 2006 in Elk Grove, CA. Preceded in death by his parents, Edward Conrad Kloss, Sr. and Annie Belle Kloss. Loving husband of 59 years to Dorothy Kloss of Elk Grove, beloved father of Sterling Edward Kloss (Tina) of Elk Grove, Korreen Ann Evers (Devin) of Yuba City. Devoted grandfather to Eric Edward Kloss (Janine) of Carmichael and Heath Edward Kloss of Elk Grove. Also survived by other family members and friends. A resident of the Elk Grove area his entire life, aged 85. He was a cattle buyer for 63 years and a 60-year member of the Native Sons of the Golden West. Graveside services in Franklin Cemetery were private. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be sent in his name to the American Cancer Society, 1765 Challenge Way, Suite 115, Sacramento, CA 95815-5000.

Sports

Eagle Lake fishing excellent

Fishing at Eagle Lake has been excellent the last two weeks. Best results are from boats at depths from 25 to 45 feet. Trolling has been best with various needlefish, sure catch lures, and night crawlers using downriggers or lead core line. Still fishing works best with night crawlers under slip bobbers set at about 35-40 feet. Use of slip bobbers for still fishing and trolling with down riggers or lead-core line works best this time of year.

Fish continue to weigh in between 2 and 4 lbs. with many weighing in between 4 and 5 pounds. Best times to fish are in the early morning hours. Best results have been coming from the Eagles Nest area and Wildcat Point.

On August 19, Eagle Lake Marina will be hosting its annual fishing seminar featuring Sep and Marilyn Hendrickson of Sep's Pro Fishing and several professional highly experienced guides and their boats. This informative seminar is all free including a free drawing for tackle and prizes as well as free product samples to be given out during the program. The program will provide expert information about the best ways to catch the Eagle Lake Trout and their habitat.

Ample camping is available in the Eagle Lake Recreation area along the pine forested south shore of the lake. Sites are available by reservation or on a first-come, first serve basis. For camping information at Eagle Lake, call (530) 825-3212. For reservations, call; toll free, (877)-444-6777. For current information on fishing conditions or about the upcoming seminar, call Eagle Lake Marina at (530) 825-3454.

Football players need physicals

The Modoc Braves will start football practice August 14. Players should start getting their physicals now.
Wood will be opening the weight room this summer Monday through Thursdays and the physical and sports information forms will be available there. Physicals and forms must be completed before the first day of practice.

LFD host golf tourney

The Likely Fire Department is hosting a golf tournament at Likely Links August 13, with tee-off at 8 a.m. Likely Links is just east of Likely on the Jess Valley road.

The event will be a four-person best ball and teams will be selected by drawing. The entry fee is $60 per person and includes cart, green fees, and barbecue steak dinner. The fee is $50 for those who don't stay for the dinner.

The barbecue is $20 each for non-golfers or guests and starts at 5 p.m. There will be great door prizes.
To enter or for more information call 530-233-4817.

August 10th, 2006

News

Anklin pleads no contest, must resign

On Monday, Modoc County Supervisor Ray Anklin formally entered a "no contest" plea in Modoc Superior Court on charges of having sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl last spring and summer.

Superior Court Judge Larry Dier sentenced Anklin to 90 days in the Modoc County Jail and three years probation, but he won't be required to register as a sex offender. Anklin was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor

In addition, as a part of his plea deal, but not part of his sentence, Anklin must resign from the Modoc County Board of Supervisors. Anklin did not attend Tuesday's Board meeting and had not offered a resignation as of Wednesday morning. Dier apparently gave him a couple of weeks to resign. If he doesn't resign, the case would come back to court.

According to County Clerk Maxine Madison, once Anklin tenders his resignation the Board will accept it and she will send a notice of vacancy to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will then begin the process to appoint a replacement. Madison said an election is not allowed, and the appointed Supervisor would serve Anklin's remaining term, through 2008.

Once the resignation is finalized, Supervisors will advertise the vacancy and individuals can make application to the Governor.

The plea deal offers Anklin the option of serving his jail time at nights on work furlough so he can continue to work on the family ranch during the day. Modoc Sheriff Bruce Mix said he didn't have a problem with that arrangement as long as it came in the form of a judge's order.

District Attorney Jordan Funk has stated he thinks the plea deal was fair and believes the victim's family was satisfied with the resolution. Two other counts, one for breaking and entering were dismissed and the charges Anklin was convicted of were reduced from felonies to misdemeanors.
Anklin was arrested last fall alleging he had had sex with the 17-year-old on numerous occasions and that on one occasion he had crawled through a window to get into her foster home room near Canby. He also was accused of providing alcohol to the victim and her 14-year-old roommate. The girl's foster mother had told Anklin to stay away from the girl.

The 17-year old girl was a ward of the court at the time the incidents took place, and the Modoc County Probation Department alerted law enforcement after an email from the girl was found, stating she had had sex with Anklin.

Deadline may extend for nominations

The nomination period in several local races of the November General election will probably be extended in several districts as incumbents are choosing not to file.

The deadline for nomination paper is August 11, but in those districts where incumbents don't file, that will be extended to August 16. An extension is certain in the Modoc Joint Unified School District, the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District and probable in the Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District.

Incumbent Karen Hays has filed for re-election and two challengers have emerged, Erin Bevil and Eric Sittig. Incumbent Pat Swanson has said she will not seek re-election.

There are four seats on the ballot for the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District. In Cedarville, the seats of Gene Erquiaga and James Laacke expire. Laacke and a challenger, Penny Borghi, have filed, but Erquiaga has said he will not run.

In Ft. Bidwell the seat of Steve Smith is up and an election for the remaining term of Dean Cockrell, who resigned will be up. Smith has not yet filed. Bill Bostic was appointed to Cockrell's position, but will have to run for election to fill out Cockrell's remaining term. As of Wednesday, no one had filed nomination papers in that district.

Incumbent Roy Wright has file for re-election on the Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School Board. A challenger, Venencio Hernandez has filed. Incumbent Donald Kirby has said he will not file.
Three seats are open on the County Board of Education: District Two's Rebekah Ingraham; District Three's Dixie Server; and District Five's Marcella Haynes. All three have filed for re-election.
There will be an election for one seat on the Fort Bidwell Fire District. Incumbent John Drew is being challenged by John Brauner.

An election is also set for the California Pines Community Services Districts where three seats are up. Incumbent Zola Miliron and Bruce Rodgers are running for re-election, but Robert Lyons has not filed. Two people have field as challengers: James Ganoe and Stanley Ehlinger.

In addition, there will be elections in the Cedarville and Newell water districts and all 13 fire districts.

Chili Heads win Chili contest

There was some really hot chili, some really mild chili, some chicken chili, and some really good chili. Of course, which was the best chili was up to the judges and public.

The Chili Heads, sponsored by Dederick Custom Woodworking won the overall contest and the $500 first prize. The team was made up of John Dederick, Becky Dederick, Mike Tedrick and Paul Bailey.

In second place was the chili from Seab's Survivors, sponsored by Seab's True Value with the team of Christina Widby, Brian Widby, Kerrey Boudreaux and Andrea Sykes. Taking third was the Modoc Record Red Hot Chili Peppers, with Nora Russell, Judath Brush and Elaine West.

The Modoc Record team won the "Peoples' Choice" award for the best chili, voted on by the people at the contest.

There were nine teams involved in the 2006 Chili Cook-off held at and as a fundraiser for the Modoc High Country Amphitheater, near the old Alturas Mill on Saturday.

The other teams involved were: the Chili Killers, Jayson West and Chris Kanagy; the High Plateau Humane Society sponsored by the Corner Deli of Lynda Demsher, Louisa Wistos and Genie Smith; the Chili Peppers of Jim Brewer and Sandy Sphar; the Chili Dogs, Jan Savage and Nick Menkee; the Yellow Peppers of Winnie English, Damian English, Maxine Dockery and Shirley Van Meter; and the team of Ward J. Hollesen.

The judges for the contest were George Andreasen, Charlie Johnson and Dan Silveria.

The chili cooking started at 10 a.m. and the judging was from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. with the gates open to the public at 5 p.m. Following the contest there was an evening of entertainment at the Amphitheater. The event was a Modoc County Arts Council production sponsored by the Alturas Chamber of Commerce and Resources for Indian Student Education, Inc.

Fair gears for 2006 run

The 73rd Modoc District Fair in Cedarville promises carnival thrills, an ambitious line-up of stage and strolling performers, an exciting and imaginative assortment of new experiences and activities for children, western-themed diversions and exhibits, and just plain good times for everyone from Thursday, August 17 through Sunday, August 20.

This year's fair theme is "Green Fields and Wagon Wheels".

Newly crowned Miss Modoc Fair Queen Claire Crenshaw and Princess Rachel Stevenson are excited about their duties as the Modoc County's newest ambassadors. They'll be on hand throughout the fair's four-day run to greet visitors and will lead Sunday's parade on their horses.

Gates open Thursday night at 5 p.m. The American Traveling Shows Carnival will be back with stomach-churning rides like the Kamikaze, the Scrambler, the Casino and a Ferris wheel. There will be game booths along with the traditional food booths.

Fair CEO Traci Green wants everyone to know about the Carnival Family Sheets, available through opening day. This includes two adult and two child fair admissions along with 20 rides, food and game coupons which altogether translate to a full $80 value. These will be on sale for only $35 at Seab's True Value in Alturas through Tuesday, August 15 and at the fair office through August 17. Also available are $15 booklets of 30 ride coupons.

Ride bands can be purchased on the carnival lot for $12 each on Thursday from 5-9 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. for $15.

One ride sure to appeal to young and old alike is the Western Express Railroad. Climb aboard this trackless train and enjoy a narrated tour between stops at convenient locations from one end of the fairgrounds to the other.

The Grandstand Arena will showcase a different competition every night during the fair. Head up on Opening Day at 6:30 p.m. to watch herding canines demonstrate their extraordinary skills at the "Mark Walgenbach Memorial Sheep Dog Trials".

Friday and Saturday are "Ranchers' Days" at the fair. A non-stop line-up of competitions and exhibits has been planned beginning at 7:00 a.m. each morning. On Friday, the Ranch Horse Calcutta begins in the arena at 1 p.m. followed by the new "Stick Horse Rodeo" for the younger crowd at 3 p.m. at the Park Stage.

Friday night is the time to catch the Third Annual Ranch Saddle Bronc Rodeo in the arena beginning at 7 p.m. Twenty riders will compete in the Long Go, while the event's top six will fill out the Short Go roster. $2000 is up for grabs by the night's best. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for children 6-12. Children under 5 will be admitted free.

Be sure to get your drinks and snacks ahead of time because no one will want to miss the "Kiddy Calf Scramble" during intermission. Children to age 12 should sign up early at the fair office to compete for two $50 prizes.

On Saturday evening, all the horsepower is under the hoods of an arena full of battered but roaring autos as of the Demolition Derby begins at 7:30 p.m. Then plan to stay late for the street dance featuring the band "Heading Due West", new to the fair this year.

Ranchers' Day events conclude on Saturday at noon with the Team and Open Branding Calcutta and Finals. Admission is free. Then the kids take over the arena on Sunday for the Junior Rodeo which begins at 12:30 p.m. Admission is also free to watch high school students from the tri-state area compete in a series of challenging events.

While thrill rides and midway treats are a fun part of any country fair, the heart of the Modoc District Fair in Cedarville remains in its many exhibits, judged competitions, livestock entries and artistic displays offered by local residents. Don't forget to check out the exhibits and livestock shows throughout each day of the fair. Modoc County residents will present their best in agriculture, livestock entries and horticulture displays as well as culinary, fine art, floral, and photographic works. Artfully arranged thematic and historic collections, youth displays, finely constructed furniture and wood crafts and so much more promise to be well worth a walk through the various exhibit halls.
Members of the High Desert Fiber Arts Guild will also be on hand in the Science and Arts Building each day of the fair, demonstrating their spinning and weaving skills. Make sure to save some time to wander among the exquisitely detailed, colorful quilts on display.

One integral part of the fair often overlooked in the competing array of attractions and competitions is the Men's Invitational Softball Tournament that runs through Saturday and Sunday. Over 80 players and their families begin arriving Friday afternoon, determined to play some great fast-pitch ball while enjoying a memorable family weekend at the fair. Check the daily schedule to catch a great game at the ball diamond at the north end of the fairgrounds.

Folks can also dine on some appetizing meals at this fair. Members of the Greater Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce will serve a Basque Barbecue featuring lamb steaks and traditional stew Thursday night at 5:00 p.m., so stop by before heading off to the sheep dog trials. Surprise Valley FFA members hope you'll come by for another hearty meal on Saturday afternoon from 4-7 p.m. Their steak barbecue proceeds help fund their events through the year.

Cedarville Volunteer Fire Fighters will once again be staffing the beer concession booth located near the Park Stage. This year, the fair staff welcomes members of the Alturas Rural Fire Department. They will have the Grandstand concession stand open Friday and Saturday nights and during Sunday's Junior Rodeo.

Also on Sunday, visitors and locals are expected to line the streets of downtown Cedarville to see how the fair's theme translates to colorful and imaginative entries in the annual parade beginning at 11:00 a.m.

The fair opens Thursday, August 17 at 5:00 p.m. Its gates officially open at noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Admission charges are: adults $5, Seniors 60 and over, $2, and children 4-12, $3. On Thursday, everyone gets in for only $2.

Lightning strikes spawn 75 fires on Modoc

The Forest is fighting, monitoring, or patrolling 75 fires following this week's lightning storms. Mop up and rehabilitation continues on the Sage and other fires from past weeks.
Lightning strike fires occurred in largest concentration on the far southwest side of the Forest on the Big Valley Ranger District and extended north onto the Doublehead Ranger District. Another cluster extends from the Devils Garden to the South Warners.

The Clear Lake Fire is the largest of the active fires at 600 acres. It is
burning 1/8 of a mile south of the Oregon border, north of Clear Lake.
Engine and hand crews are fighting aggressively aided by two military air
tankers known as Modular Airborn Fire Fighting Systems or MAFFS. The MAFFS are normally stationed in Cheyenne, Wyo. They are filling their tanks in Klamath Falls and dropping about 52,000 gallons of retardant per day. The fire is about 50 percent contained.

A few miles south, burning on both Forest land and the Clear Lake National
Wildlife Refuge is the Wildlife Fire. It is smoldering in critical sage
grouse habitat. Access is difficult, but crews are making good headway
using engines, hand crews and helicopters.

On the Lava Beds National Monument, three fires started, reaching a combined total of 27 acres. Their engine is working the one remaining fire that continues to creep around the lava.
Other engines, crews and resources are systematically checking each
reported fire. Most are small and easily put to rest. A few are growing
beyond an acre in size and additional firefighting resources are called in
to deal appropriately with the situation.

In addition to the nine fire engines from the Modoc National Forest, fire
crews working in Modoc County this week include three engines from the
Fremont-Winema National Forest, six hand crews including two from Alaska, two from Arizona, and two local CDF Crews; engines include one from Fish and Wildlife Service, three CDF engines, a strike team of five engines from the Los Padres National Forest; four contract engine crews, three from Wash. and one from Colorado. Additional overhead support is from Oregon Department of Forestry.

Aerial support is from a Type 1, heavy helicopter from the Los Padres NF;
two Type 2, medium duty helicopters, one from Fairbanks, Alaska and the
Bieber CDF ship; three BLM Single Engine Air Tankers stationed at Cal Pines and Lakeview.
The Forest Service expects windy conditions this weekend and are preparing for that problem.
Regularly updated information on these fires is available on the incident
information website at www.inciweb.org.

Obituaries:

Ronald L. Bonham

Tulelake resident Ronald Lawrence Bonham, 61, passed away of natural causes on August 2, 2006 in Tulelake, CA. Born in Brawley, CA on December 21, 1944, he had lived for 50 years in Modoc County, where he worked as a truck driver and was a volunteer fireman for 20 years.

Mr. Bonham was very proud of his family and they of him. He was someone who always was willing to lend a hand. He was also known as a very generous, hard-working man. He enjoyed tinkering on his pick-up truck and he loved his yard work. A fan of Nascar, he especially rooted for driver Jeff Gordon, #24.

Mr. Bonham will be dearly missed. He leaves to mourn his passing, his mother Luella Bonham of Alturas, CA; son Gary Bonham of Tulelake; son Dan Bonham of Yreka; daughter Donna Colmenero of Klamath Falls, OR; brother and sister-in-law Leroy and Sharon Bonham of Tulelake; nephew Bill Bonham and family of Tulelake; niece Tammy Jo Klassen, California; niece Lynna Woods of North Carolina; wife Betty Bonham of Yreka and four grandchildren, Teresa, Melissa, Nicole and Jasper.
He was preceded in death by his father Lee Bonham, his brother Leland Bonham and two nephews, Ricky and Mike Bonham.

Private services are under the direction of Kerr Mortuary, Alturas.

Services for Audrey Valenzuela

Graveside services for Audrey Valenzuela, age 83, of Likely will be held at 4 p.m. today, August 10 at the Likely Cemetery. Mrs. Valenzuela, was a resident of Modoc County for the past 20 years. She passed away over last weekend in Susanville, CA. Her daughter Kristina Murray (John) resides in Klamath Falls, OR. Kerr Mortuary is handling arrangements.

Celebration of Life for Vern Hill

A gathering of Vern L. Hill's friends and family will be held at the Cedarville Cemetery, followed by a potluck lunch at the Cedarville Community Church Hall on August 12, 2006 at 11 a.m.
"Please join us in this opportunity to share stories and celebrate his life," invites Becky Dederick of Alturas, daughter of Vern Hill.

Sports

Soccer meeting August 17

There will be a Modoc High School soccer team player/parent meeting with new coach Mike Yarbrough August 17, 6 p.m. at Alturas Elementary School. The first practice of the season will be August 21, 3:45 p.m. at the AES field. Soccer players are reminded that they need to have their sports information cards in and physicals completed prior to the first practice.

August 17th, 2006

News

Anklin resigns Supervisor seat

Modoc County Supervisor Ray Anklin, of Canby, formally resigned his seat Tuesday, in a letter to the Modoc County Clerk which the Board accepted.

Last Monday, Anklin formally entered a "no contest" plea in Modoc Superior Court on charges of having sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl last spring and summer.

Superior Court Judge Larry Dier sentenced Anklin to 90 days in the Modoc County Jail and three years probation. Anklin was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor
In addition, as a part of his plea deal, but not part of his sentence, Anklin had to resign from the Modoc County Board of Supervisors. Anklin did not attend Tuesday's Board meeting.

According to County Clerk Maxine Madison, she will send a notice of vacancy to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will then begin the process to appoint a replacement. Madison said an election is not allowed, and the appointed Supervisor would serve Anklin's remaining term, through 2008.

The plea deal offers Anklin, a rancher, the option of serving his jail time at nights on work furlough so he can continue to work on the family ranch during the day.

Anklin was arrested last fall alleging he had had sex with the 17-year-old on numerous occasions and that on one occasion he had crawled through a window to get into her foster home room near Canby. He also was accused of providing alcohol to the victim and her 14-year-old roommate.

The 17-year old girl was a ward of the court at the time the incidents took place, and the Modoc County Probation Department alerted law enforcement after an email from the girl was found, stating she had had sex with Anklin.

Bradbury case continued

Christopher Bradbury entered a "not guilty" plea Tuesday in the Betty Lou Parks' homicide case and a preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 25, 1:30 p.m. in Modoc Superior Court.
Bradbury has switched attorneys from the Modoc County Public Defender's Office to Alturas attorney Tom Gifford.

Bradbury is facing murder charges in the 1992 death of 14-year-old Alturas resident Betty Lou Parks.

Bradbury, age 31, of Shasta Lake, was 17 years of age at the time of Parks death. Modoc Superior Curt Judge Fritz Barclay has ruled that there was sufficient evidence to try Bradbury for the murder of Parks and that he would be tried as an adult.

Bradbury has said he had nothing to do with the murder.

Testimony from his ex-wife is key to the prosecution case. She has told Department of Justice investigators that Bradbury admitted to her that he had been a part of the Parks' murder.

Bradbury was arrested in May at his job in Redding and remains in the Modoc County Jail on $500,000 bail. The case was turned over to DOJ in 2002 by the Modoc Sheriff's Office.
Parks disappeared on June 25, 1992 and her remains were found by a hiker at a remote Modoc Estates lot on May 16, 1993.

North state schools face declining enrollment

The Modoc Joint Unified School District will start this year with a projected average daily attendance of 894 students, down from 916 last year and substantially fewer than in 2002 when the ADA was 1015.

Superintendent Doug Squellati said the trend over the past five years has been declining enrollment, something most school districts in the north state are experiencing.

This year, Arlington Elementary School in Canby will go from two teachers to one, with a drop in enrollment from 21 to 12. The two other outlying schools, South Fork in Likely and Stateline in New Pine Creek, are healthy, but some of Stateline's students come from Oregon.

"I don't think there's just one reason that determines the drop in students," Squellati said. "There are a variety of factors, including the lack of good jobs in this area and an increase in the retirement population."

Modoc High School is projecting an opening student population of about 308, close to last year's but down from previous years. Modoc Middle School will start with almost the exact student population as last year of 208, as will Alturas Elementary School with 350 students.

While the student population will fluctuate, the numbers are vital since the state funding for the school districts is based on average daily attendance.

In Surprise Valley, the school district has decided to move the seventh and eighth grade classes to Surprise Valley High School in the face of more drastic student number declines.

Nomination period ends for November election

The nomination period in several local races of the November General election closed at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Incumbent Karen Hays has filed for re-election in the Modoc Joint Unified School District and two challengers have filed, Erin Bevil and Eric Sittig. Incumbent Pat Swanson will not seek re-election.
There are four seats on the ballot for the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District. In Cedarville, the seats of Gene Erquiaga and James Laacke expire. Laacke and a challenger, Penny Borghi, have filed, but Erquiaga will not run. Bill Bostic has filed for re-election and Alissa Fee has filed in Fort Bidwell. Ft. Bidwell's incumbent, Steve Smith, did not file.

Incumbent Roy Wright has filed for re-election on the Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School Board. Two challengers, Venencio Hernandez and Randall Bailey have also filed. Incumbent Donald Kirby did not file.

Three seats are open on the County Board of Education: District Two's Rebekah Ingraham; District Three's Dixie Server; and District Five's Marcella Haynes. All three have filed for re-election.

There will be an election for one seat on the Fort Bidwell Fire District. Incumbent John Drew is being challenged by John Brauner.

An election is also set for the California Pines Community Services District where three seats are up. Incumbent Zola Miliron and Bruce Rodgers are running for re-election, but Robert Lyons has not filed. Three challengers have filed: James Ganoe, Stanley Ehlinger and Hank Drury.

Julie Gagnon has filed for re-election to Big Valley Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees.

City Council agrees to new direction on National Power

The Alturas City Council Tuesday night agreed with a change of lead agency role, if National Power chooses, to switch that duty to the county.

Councilman Keith Jacques said that National Power had indicated in a recent Ad Hoc Committee meeting, that it would rather work with the county as lead agency for the project.

Jacques said he felt the city "had plenty on its plate" and the number one priority was the Alturas Sewer Plant project. He felt the National Power Plant was very important and vital for the community and felt the county would be able to help it come to fruition.

"I think we need to get this project done, it's too vital to take a chance of it going away . . . it's just too important to let it slip away," said Jacques.Former Mayor George Andreasen said he was inclined to agree with Jacques that the county may be in a better position to guide the project through. He said it was important to get the project done, not worry about which agencies get credit or blame.
Councilman Rod Gately said he felt the county had more staff to work on the issue, but was concerned about what the city would lose if it drops the lead agency status. He suggested a joint meeting with the council to hammer out details, which is in the offing.

The Council voted to allow National Power to choose the lead agency, with Jacques, Gately and Andreasen in support. Mayor John Schreiber voted against that option, saying he wanted the city to maintain control.

Jacques told the council that based on the last Ad Hoc Committee meeting and his conversations with National Power, he felt confident they would choose the county.

Modoc County Chief Administrative Officer Mike Maxwell said the county is willing and in a position to take the lead agency role.

National Power is proposing to construct a 20-40 megawatt biomass power plant on city-owned property north of the existing structures at the mill site, near the Alturas airport. The project also includes a small log sawmill.

The City and County have been working on this power plant project in a joint effort for well over a year.

The entire project is expected to create more than 100 new jobs in Modoc County, from actual plant workers to the logging and trucking industries.

The small log sawmill is an integral part of the project. In most cases, the power plants were used to generate electricity to run the sawmills. In this case, the sawmill will be the main supplier of fuel for the power plant, and the electricity will be sold to Sierra Pacific. The value of the plant is expected to be above $50 million.

National hopes the first draft of the EIR can be finished by the end of this year and all the permitting and land use issues settled and in place by the end of 2007. Construction could start in 2008 with the plant possibly coming on line in 2010.

National Power describes itself as an owner and operator of environmentally sensitive electric generating facilities, which has existing facilities in Australia and the United States. The company was founded in 1991 and is privately owned.

The site for the proposed power plant is on 103 acres of city-owned property at the mill site adjacent to the airport. The City has not yet set a purchase price for the property.

Modoc property values up 8.36 percent

Modoc's property values increased 8.36 percent for 2006-07 and the overall assessed value gain was 8.21 percent, according to Assessor Josie Johnson. Last year the percentage of increase was 7.16 percent.

Johnson told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday that Modoc's secured assessment roll increased to $757,462,218, up from last year's $699,011,99. The unsecured property value was $26,657,707, up from $25,142,337.

Johnson said the county was continuing to see increased value from use of property in residential, rural residential and agriculture. The total local assessed value included secured and unsecured property amounted to $784,119,92, an increase from $724,154,328 last year.

Interestingly, she said that there has been a decrease in recorded documents from the California Pines subdivision, from 2,905 in 2002 to 2,069 in 2005. California Pines makes up 19.52 percent of the assessed value in Modoc. The areas outside of Alturas make up 30.58 percent, the City of Alturas makes up 13.51 percent, Tulelake makes up 13.51 percent, Surprise Valley is 13.32 percent, Big Valley 8.21 percent and Day 1.35 percent.

California Pines percentage has actually increased from 2001-02's 15.42 percent of the total secured roll and it was 19.41 percent last year.

Johnson reported that the overall 2006-07 assessed value increase translates to a Modoc General Fund tax dollar apportionment of about $138,837.

Statewide, Modoc was third from the bottom for highest percent of assessed value change. Trinity County was the lowest at 6.32 percent and Yuba was the highest at 27.12 percent. Lassen County was 19th from the bottom at 10.44 percent and Siskiyou was 17th at 10.32. Shasta County was near the middle at 12.42 percent.

According to Johnson, the assessor's office processed 3,672 documents in 2005 affecting 5,907 parcels a 3.81 percent increase. Of those 1,737 required reappraisal, a decrease of 17.19 percent in volume. Of those 611 were reappraised because of new construction and 2,150 were reappraised because of a change of ownership.

The biggest impact to the roll, 64.73 percent came in the change of ownership or new construction category.

Fair opens today in Cedarville

At 5:00 p.m. Thursday, the gates at the 73rd Modoc District Fair will officially swing open to admit folks to four jam-packed days of entertainment, including live music and magic shows, rodeos, rancher's day and livestock competitions, the thrills of a carnival, and exhibit halls filled to overflowing with the very best Modoc has to offer.

Look for this year's fair theme, "Green Fields and Wagon Wheels", to be noticeably woven throughout many aspects of the fair -- in displays, parade entries, and in the impression delighted folks carry away after a memorable visit.

A full line-up of stimulating and educational new activities for children will keep the youngest fairgoers occupied from beginning to end as they race after greased pigs, attempt to snatch a ribbon from a frisky calf's tail, learn about traffic safety at "Toddler Driving School" or experience milking a cow at the "Milk Maker" interactive display.

Youngsters can get a taste of "Survivor"-style excitement when teams compete in the "Adventure Challenge" at 1:00 PM on Sunday. Teams of four, comprised of children in grades 5-8 and 9 through adult will race to finish 10 stations that include "Ski Walk", "Puzzlers Mind", "Lost on the Moon" and "Bucket Ball". Members will have to work together to amass points and win the $40 prize.

Any time is a great time for young and old alike to visit the carnival! Ride bands are available for $12 each from 5-9 on opening day, offering unlimited rides. The American Traveling Shows Carnival has returned with thrilling rides, fair food favorites and game booths. Ride bands will also be available for $15 on Sunday from noon until 5 p.m.

Miss Modoc Fair Queen 2006, Claire Crenshaw and Princess Rachel Stevenson will be on hand to greet people on opening day and during many events and activities throughout the fair.

Greater Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce members promise to have their popular Basque Barbecue, featuring hot-off-the-grill lamb and beef steaks accompanied by sheepherder bread, salad, traditional Basque stew, and beverages ready to serve when the fair officially opens on Thursday evening.

Newcomers to the fair, the Klamath Falls-based acoustic band "Mood Swing" will be on the Park Stage as the fair opens (and will give a repeat performance from 7-9 p.m.). They'll present an entertaining mix of music sure to have all ages humming along with golden oldies and today's favorites.

After a great meal, head up to the Grandstand to watch the Mark Walgenbach Memorial Sheep Dog Trials beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Also tonight, everyone with items entered for judging will get their first chance to see if their efforts have earned a coveted ribbon. The exhibit halls open at 5; folks will have until 9 p.m. to look over the incredible variety of crafts and culinary, horticultural and agricultural and themed displays.

With so much to see and do, there may be moments when you just need a rest. Find a bench and wait for the Western Express Trackless Train to glide by. The conductor will be chugging from one end of the fairgrounds to the other at no cost during all four days of the fair, providing a leisurely, narrated tour or a welcome break from walking to each destination.

Fair highlights also include Friday night's Ranch Saddle Bronc Riding Competition at 7 p.m., the Destruction Derby on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. followed by a street dance with the hot new Oroville-based band "Heading Due West". The Country Jam musicians will be strumming at Louieville on Friday evening beginning at 6:00.

On Saturday at 5 p.m., the Fort Bidwell Youth Dancers will be performing just north of the Park Stage. This is the first time this group has shared their culture through traditional dances with fairgoers.

Sunday, the day begins with the Fair Parade on Main Street in Cedarville at 11 a.m.. The Junior Rodeo follows at 12:30 p.m. in the Grandstand. The Men's Softball Championship begins around 2 p.m. at the ball diamond.

Louie Vermillion is also the driving force behind "Louieville", a charming collection of restored historic buildings gathered from throughout Surprise Valley. This permanent display, located along the fair's southern boundary, makes our fairgrounds unique among California's 86 district and county fair venues. Strollers heading up to the livestock barns may want to stop for a rest on a bench under the shade ramada and will also find western-themed but thoroughly modern restrooms tucked among the relics of Surprise Valley's past.

The Sage Stage will be offering free shuttle bus rides to the fair on Friday and Saturday. The bus will depart from the Elks Lodge at 619 N. Main Street in Alturas with the first run (of several) each day at 10:30 a.m. The last ride back leaves the fair at 9:00 p.m. The Sage Stage is wheelchair accessible and air conditioned. For more information or to make reservations, please call 233-6410.

Obituaries:

Andy Lee Jochim

Former Modoc resident Andy Lee Jochim passed away on July 23, 2006 in Idaho. Andy was born on September 24, 1960 in Alturas, CA. He was reared in Likely where he also attended elementary school. He graduated from Modoc High School. He was a resident of Ontario, OR at the time of his passing.Andy loved the outdoors and lived to hunt. He also had a great love for his family, especially his daughters.

He leaves to mourn his passing, his daughters Shelly Jochim of LaPine, OR; Sydney and Stacy Jochim of Sacramento, CA; his parents Val and Carol Jochim of Likely, CA; brothers Virgil and wife Rosemary of Malin, OR; David and wife Cathy Randall of Alturas, CA; Robin and wife Darlene of Hornbrook, CA; sister Valerie Waller of Eagle Point, OR and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services for Andy will be graveside at the Likely Cemetery at a later date.

Goldie Mae Hawkins

Former Big Valley resident Goldie Mae Hawkins, 92, of Redding, passed away August 13, 2006 in Redding, CA. Mrs. Hawkins was the owner of "The Country Store" in Lookout for 18 years. She was born in Lookout on May 24, 1914, spent her early years in Bieber and graduated from Bieber High School. She moved from Bieber to Shasta County in 1981.

Mrs. Hawkins is survived by four sons: Norman G. Hawkins of Adin; C. Delmer Hawkins of Bieber; Daren O. Hawkins, Redding; Nolan C. Hawkins of Palo Cedro; daughter Norene F. Watkins of Mountain View, Wyoming; 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Services will be held Saturday, August 26 at 10 a.m. at Allen & Dahl Funeral Chapel in Palo Cedro. Condolences may be posted at allenanddahl.com.

Barry Ellis English

Barry Ellis English took the next step on Life's Journey Saturday, August 12, 2006, after dying peacefully at home in Boise, Idaho. Born October 10, 1941 in Newport, Oregon, his family moved to Alturas, California when he was a year old. He graduated from Modoc High School in 1959, spent time in the Air Force, picked up a degree in accounting, and married the love of his life, Alice.
In 1979, he moved his family to Boise where he began a long and rewarding career driving tour bus. He also spent several years on the Oregon Coast where he owned and operated a gift shop. But, all roads led back to Idaho and the family he held close to his heart.

He is survived by his children and their families, Bill, his wife Barb, and son Jack; Donn, his wife Amy, and daughter Emma; Kelly, her husband Trevor, sons Kevin and Brandyn, daughters Anna and Haylee , all of Boise, ID; daughter Tracy of Nampa, ID; and daughter Stacey and her daughter Corrine and sons Devon and Tanner of Alturas, CA; one brother, Bill of Blackhawk, South Dakota, and Alice of Boise.

Barry has rejoined his parents and his brother, Harold. Cremation is under the direction Bowman Funeral Chapel. His family and many friends will join to celebrate his life Thursday, August 17, at 3:30 p.m. at his home. In lieu of flowers, send wine… or donations may be made to ALS Research or Extra Hands for ALS c/o Bowman Funeral Parlor, 5525 N. Glenwood St., Garden City, ID. 83714

Leland H. Harris

Leland H. Harris, 88, died of natural causes on August 9, 2006, in El Dorado Hills, CA, where he resided.

Born September 28, 1917, at Willow Ranch, CA in Modoc County,

Lee was a World War II Army veteran. He was a member of the Mason's North East Lodge #266 F.& A.M.  and Eastern Star #51.  After his military service, he made his home in Modoc County, Willow Ranch,  where he worked as a foreman in the molding plant at the lumber mill, until it closed in 1960.  After the mill closed, he moved his family to San Leandro, CA.  He retired as a lifetime member of the Operating Engineers Local 3 Union. Upon his retirement in 1983, he moved to El Dorado Hills where he operated Lee's Firewood.

He was preceded in death by his parents Elmer & Bertha Harris; brothers Ted, Ross, and Gordon Harris and sister Barbara Smith.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Helen Harris;
son, Sam Harris;  son-in-law:  John Murphy
daughter Linda Murphy; daughter-in-law:  Dianne Harris;
sisters  Norma Brown and Elizabeth Madison; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services were held Tuesday, August 15 at 3:00p.m. at Green Valley Mortuary, 610 Coloma Street, Folsom, CA 95630. Pastor Jeff Mitchell officiated.

The family will gather at the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery (Old City Cemetery, Odd Fellows section) later this month for interment. In lieu of flowers, remembrances and donations may be directed to the Old City Cemetery Committee, Inc.,1000 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95814.

Arrangements were by Green Valley Mortuary.

Sports

Fast pitch tourney goes for 19th run

For the 19th year, fast-pitch softball teams from California, Oregon and Nevada are expected to gather at the Modoc District Fair to participate in the Men's Invitational Softball Tournament beginning on Saturday. The first batter will be stepping up to the plate shortly after 8 AM on August 19 and the last game is scheduled the following afternoon at 3:30.

"There'll be a few changes this year though the basic tournament will be familiar to all our players and to everyone who has enjoyed watching from the bleachers over the years", said new coordinator Ernie Givan of Alturas.

First up Saturday morning will be Lakeview Motor Sports facing off against the Reno Indians. In all, 14 games will be played over the weekend, concluding with a championship game and award ceremony Sunday afternoon. Everyone who spends any time in the stands will go away satisfied. "It's baseball and a lot of it!" crowed one enthusiastic participant.

The double-elimination tournament involves upwards of 80 players on eight teams who enjoy the chance to play fast-pitch softball in a family-friendly setting. According to Givan, a veteran who will be pitching on the Surprise Valley Aviation team, "The guys, who range in ages from about 15 to 55, are friendly competitors who take the game seriously while still having a lot of fun." He describes the sport as "faster than regular softball or hardball. The smaller field dimensions also tend to make the games more interesting for everyone."

Many of the out-of-town players arrive with families in tow, setting up camp near the ball field at the north end of the fairgrounds. "The guys like coming with their wives and kids who can watch the games or enjoy the fair", said Givan. "It makes for a great family weekend."

Fans and fairgoers are invited to do more than watch. At 2:30 PM on Saturday, everyone gets a chance to knock one out of the park at the Home Run Derby. For $5 per attempt, whoever hits the most homeruns will split the final pot. "It's open to anyone, no age limits," said Givan. "We've had all sorts of folks come by and try their luck, from 14-year-old girls to seasoned players. It's a lot of fun."

Steger Ranch is donating the hay bales that will serve as the diamond's home run fence. "I don't know of any other tournament or league that does it that way", said Givan. An experienced umpire from Klamath Falls has also been lined up to referee many of the games.

Team shoots 69 to win tourney

The team of Kathie Widby, Sylvia Gloster, Marge Belford and Lillian McKenzie shot a score of 69 to win the Arrowhead Ladies Warner Mountain Scramble August 12.

In second place with a 71 was the team of Michelle Ray, Patsy Jones, Sheila McKenzie and Clydeen Dick.

The third place team of Ivy Smith, Velma Dickerson, Barbara Morgan and Jean Phillips shot 72.

AJ McQuarrie, Barb Heryford, Diane Schmidt and Pat Kerr combined for a fourth place score of 74.

The closest to the pin award went to Beth Weber, Schmidt won the accuracy drive and the long drive contests were won by Ray, McQuarrie and Louise Dunn.

Junior Pheasant Hunt offered

A Junior Pheasant Hunt Ash Creek Wildlife Area will be offered September 16, with an a.m. hunt from 8 a.m. to 12 noon and a p.m. hunt, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Entry deadline is Sept. 8. All Junior Hunters with current 06/07 hunting licenses may apply. Mail a 3 by 5 postcard with name, address, phone number, 06/07 hunting license number, date of birth and choice of a.m. or p.m. hunt to: Ash Creek WLA, P.O. Box 37, Bieber, CA 96009. Groups up to four persons per card. For any further information please call 530-294-5824.

JV, Varsity Volleyball Tryouts

Modoc High School Junior Varsity and Varsity Volleyball tryouts will be held Monday, August 21 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Griswold Gym, Modoc High. Participants must have their completed Athletic Card upon try-out. Any questions, please contact Coach Wendi Lowrey at 233-2335.

August 24th, 2006

News

Supervisor hopeful can make application to Governor

Anyone wishing to fill the seat of District IV Modoc County Supervisor Ray Anklin must filed an application with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will make the appointment.
Anklin, of Canby, formally resigned his seat last week after entering a "no contest" plea in Modoc Superior Court on charges of having sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl last spring and summer.

In addition, as a part of his plea deal, but not part of his sentence, Anklin had to resign from the Modoc County Board of Supervisors.

According to County Clerk Maxine Madison, she will send a notice of vacancy to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will then begin the process to appoint a replacement. Madison said an election is not allowed, and the appointed Supervisor would serve Anklin's remaining term, through 2008.
All registered voters in District IV are eligible to apply for appointment and must make application online at http://www.gov.ca.gov/index.php?/appointments/application.

Government Code 2500 requires each county to have a Board of Supervisors consisting of five members. And GC 25060 requires the Governor to fill the vacancy on any Board of Supervisors.
Anyone who makes application to fill the vacancy is asked to notify Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison at 233-6201.

Anklin was arrested last fall alleging he had had sex with the 17-year-old on numerous occasions and that on one occasion he had crawled through a window to get into her foster home room near Canby. He also was accused of providing alcohol to the victim and her 14-year-old roommate.

Modoc Med cancels mammograms

The news has come as a shock to the many women who have had mammograms done conveniently and annually at Modoc Medical Center over the years. For several, early detection of breast cancer found on mammograms here, saved their lives. As of last week, the mammography service has been discontinued.

The reasons given are due to aging equipment (1991), the cost of not breaking even on providing the service for several years and not being able to purchase updated equipment. Mammograms are no longer being scheduled or provided at Modoc Medical Center's Radiology Department.
The 16-year-old analog mammography equipment was purchased through grant funds and the county hospital was one of a few in the state to have a mammography department still operating. The mammography machine, well maintained over the years, passed State of California Department of Health Services inspections in March of 2005 and again in March of 2006 and is licensed until November 3, 2006. MMC Administrator Bruce Porter and Radiology staff do not expect the equipment to pass the scrutiny of American Academy of Radiology's survey this November and thus made the decision not to wait until November to discontinue the service. The equipment is deemed too old, in comparison to the digital and computerized technology now available at "imaging" centers in Redding, Reno and Klamath Falls. Lake District Hospital in Lakeview, OR is the closest location that provides mammograms. Mammography patients are being referred to facilities in the four cities.
Chief X-ray technician Dottie Houghtby, who has been doing at least 800 mammograms a year and has worked in the Radiology Department for 31 years said, "I feel really bad for my patients. But, with the new technology out there and all the technology has changed so much, it would kill me if we were to miss something because of our old equipment. But, we can't justify the cost of new equipment.

"We will continue to remind our patients when their mammograms are due and refer them to facilities that do mammograms. We will also keep their films here, or at their request, we can send their films wherever they decide they want us to send them. And, the breast cancer support group will continue to meet," added Houghtby. "When Teresa (Jacques) was here, Teresa felt it was so important for local women, she continued providing the service, even though it wasn't break-even then either."
"We've been struggling to provide this great service," said Porter. New equipment would cost at least half a million dollars, estimated Porter on Monday afternoon during a phone interview with the Record. The revenue generated through mammography "has not been break even," he added.
Porter said his focus is now to look at the possibility of purchasing a "CT" machine which could be used more comprehensively for head and body injuries, with more detailed radiology, but excludes mammography. "Used market cost for a CT machine runs roughly at $250,000," he surmised. "We are looking into grants."

The Joint Committee which includes administration, medical staff and Modoc County Board of Supervisors, will continue to consider what level of service the community wants, stated Porter.
But any replacement mammography equipment has been put on the "back burner," said Houghtby, who notified her patients of the discontinuation of service, via a letter she sent out last week to those scheduled for mammogram appointments in August and future appointments at Modoc Med.
Radiology Department employees Radiology technician Bill Boland and Houghtby will continue their work in Radiology/X-ray with Dr. Duwaine Matthews using the portable X-ray machine and the regular X-ray machine which remain available.

CT (computed tomography), sometimes called CAT scan, uses special X-ray equipment to obtain image data from different angles around the body and then uses computer processing of the information to show a cross-section of body tissues and organs.

CT imaging can show several types of tissue-lung, bone, soft tissue and blood vessels-with clarity.
"CT is important to a hospital's survival," said Houghtby with concurrence from Porter. The future of the existing mammography equipment has not been determined, said Porter and Houghtby.

Mosquito abatement on the Nov ballot

In November the City of Alturas will once again try to convince its voters to approve a $1 per month increase in their water bills to fund a mosquito abatement program. The issue failed to gain the two-thirds majority required to pass in the June election.

Since that election, West Nile Virus has been confirmed in birds and in at least one human case in Modoc County. Mosquitoes spread West Nile. The city believes passing the tax is not a simple nuisance issue; it's a public health issue of the highest level.

Joseph Moreo, the founding member of the Citizens for Vector Control and the Modoc County Agricultural Commissioner is adamant in his support for the issue, which will be Measure J on the November 7 ballot.

"Measure J, if passed, will increase the monthly water bill by one dollar per month (from .50 cents per month) for a total increase of $12 per year to keep the mosquito program solvent," he said. "Without this increase, the program will not likely be able to continue all next summer."According to Moreo, the current assessment does not cover the cost of the insecticide, labor, equipment and maintenance needed to run an effective program.

"The city has the species of mosquito that carry Malaria, Encephalitis and now West Nile Virus," said Moreo. "In addition, the city has irrigated pasture mosquitoes, a voracious blood feeder that simply lowers the quality of life for humans and animals in this area if not controlled. The mosquito-monitoring program shows the control activities the city currently runs is effective in reducing the population of adult mosquitoes. This is protecting the people from debilitating diseases that can and do cause fatalities every year."

In June, a majority of the city voters (60 percent) voted in favor of the mosquito abatement assessment increase, but it needed 66 2/3 percent.

"Individuals attempting to control mosquitoes on their own property will spend more than $12 per summer and there will be no coordinated control," said Moreo. "I urge all Alturas voters to pass the measure, for the public's health and safety. It's very important."

Forest keeps fire contained

Over the past week the Modoc National Forest responded to 8 lightning fires across the Forest. All of the fires were suppressed during initial attack by engines and hand crews. The largest of the fires was a quarter of an acre.

Resources from around the nation are supporting the Modoc National Forest this fire season. Currently there are 6 fire engines supporting the Forest from Colorado, Washington, the Plumas National Forest, the Klamath National Forest, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and one engine from the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. In addition to the fire engine support there is a helicopter from Alaska on Forest.

To date during the 2006 fire season the Modoc National Forest responded to 135 fires that have burned a total of 9,656 acres. The five year average for fires and acres burned on the Modoc National Forest is 117 fires for 11,349 acres.

According to Joan Chandler, Modoc Interagency Dispatch Center Manager, "Success through initial attack has been vital to keeping our fires small."