Two young children were found safe by CHP officers on March 17, following a parental abduction that occurred in Reno, Nevada. Officers from the Truckee CHP office received a Be-On-The-Lookout alert for a suspect vehicle that was associated with the kidnapping of a 7-year-old and a 9-year-old and was believed to be heading to California. CHP officers located the vehicle on Interstate 80, east of Soda Springs, and conducted an enforcement stop that resulted in the safe recovery of the two children and the arrest of one of the suspects. The second suspect, the mother of the two children, had exited the vehicle but was located by officers from the CHP’s Gold Run Area a short time later along Rainbow Road, near I-80. She was taken into custody without incident. Both suspects were charged with kidnapping.
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Dr. Glenn Mollette Feeling like you have some control over your life is vital for life happiness. Control is not always easy. It takes planning, sacrifice, work and good fortune. Lots of things can happen in life that will shake the earth beneath our feet. Illness, weather disaster, a bad accident, and stupid mistakes. We are all vulnerable to any and all of these. Considering anything can happen in life and chances are it will, we can all still make an effort to be in control of our daily lives. First, know who you are and build on who you are. There is only one you and there will never be another like you. Chances are you may have become a clone. You started out as an original but became someone else. You may have redesigned your life to be accepted by a certain workforce, group, religious entity, fraternity, sorority, or political party mindset. This works for a while but you won’t be very happy because it requires more work to not be you than it takes to just be you. This doesn’t mean that you can’t be a better you. We all can and should strive to be better, smarter, and the best we can be. Being a lazy, irresponsible, and ignorant are sure ways to not feel good or very secure in life. Life security and a feeling of having control over our lives requires work and living higher. Living lower will sink you. Build on who you are for success and happiness. Next, you have to work. Yes, we have to work. It’s essential to life security. The person who can work and wants to work will feel better and sleep better. There are all kinds of work and not every kind of work is for everyone. Discover what kind of work you enjoy and can do and learn to do it as well as you can. Working will give you a feeling of well-being. Millions of people in America can’t work for various reasons. Disability happens, millions are handicapped by various health related issues. Our country helps millions with Social Security disability and Medicare. At least with these government assistance programs people have something on which to survive. Keep in mind that a disability income in never a ticket to prosperity. What you can afford will be very limited. However, I do know people who have done well investing in the stock market even on a limited disability income and have done amazingly well financially. Keep in mind if you are going to make a house or car payment it requires a serious income and a paying job. Try to lock into a job that you enjoy and can do. Third, save money and stay out of debt as much as possible. Buy a house you can afford and save some money every month in an IRA or 401k or whatever is available to you. Research index funds and consider buying some stock in an index fund as you can. Index fund fees are typically cheaper. I’m not a stock advisor so do your own investigating. A school teacher friend bought index fund stocks every month for years and ended up with over a million dollars in stock by her retirement. Money isn’t everything but you’ll sleep better if you know you can buy groceries tomorrow and can pay your utility bills. Finally, take a few minutes every morning and at the end of the day to be grateful. Give God thanks for all and anything you have and ask him to give you strength, wisdom and peace for the day or throughout the night. Find books by Glenn Mollette at Amazon.com Learn more about his books, columns and music at GlennMollette.Com Global Media | P.O. Box 1238, Newburgh, IN 47629 California Google searches for "power outage" spiked 190% in the past month. Indeed, California has experienced the 2nd most power outages in March over the past five years compared to all other U.S. states. Amidst California's winter storms, our exclusive study delves into the heart of California's wild weather, uncovering startling trends and crucial insights.
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Given that California averages 3.4 blackouts in April, your audience may be keen on starting to prepare. In fact, since 2003, California (474), Texas (435), and Washington (262) have faced the most power outages, highlighting a widespread vulnerability across states to extreme weather and infrastructure challenges. - Pete Freeman Associate, Digital PR at Fractl Sponsored by Loyalton High School Booster Club, the highly-successful Crab Feed was held March 23rd at Sierra Valley Grange Hall in Vinton with a full crowd. The crab was piled on among salad, pasta and bread with plenty of butter. Those "Crab Feed Experts," who kept the night flowing flawlessly were Sheri Roen, Annie Ceresola and Randi Durney. The Barkeeps were Paul Roen, Dwight Ceresola and Eric Petterson. Auctioneer Dave Roberti, with help from his brother, Rick, always makes the live auction especially entertaining. The VIP Table for 2025 for 8 people was won by Joy Engineering for a second year which includes all service for the night, decorated table and two bottles of wine. Among items auctioned was a Sierra Valley barn photo with a frame by the late Bob Vaum, donated by Large Animal Veterinary. Bob was a big supporter of the Crab Feed with his handmade bird houses and the crowd applauded Bob. SHARON CRAIN, mother of Sheri Roen, looks on as her lovely handmade afghan blanket, 70 x 52, made with "lots of love, priceless," is auctioned off for $400. THE HIGHLY-CREATIVE CALPINE COMMUNITY donated this antique wheelbarrow Spring Cart which included bulbs, plants, custom made metal hangers, bird feeder, $400 gift card to Blairsden Garden Center with over a $500 value. It auctioned for $525. This antique English Saddle and saddle bag with a $250 value, was donated by Grizzly Cub Parent Club and brought in $200.
The Love Falls Bridge across the North Fork Yuba River at mile 1196.2 has been damaged and is closed by Tahoe National Forest. The bridge is 1/4 mile south along the PCT from Highway 49 near Sierra City, California. The bridge normally provides safe passage across the steep rockbound canyon above the falls. - Pacific Crest Trail Assoc.
Detour information Traveling northbound, at mile 1194.6 take the Wild Plum PCT Access Trail (#12E04) downhill to the west. Reach Wild Plum Road and continue on it to Sierra City. Or turn right on Ostrom Way and rejoin the PCT at the trailhead on Highway 49. WASHINGTON – Today the House Education & the Workforce Committee passed Representative Kevin Kiley’s (R-CA) Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the Department of Labor’s (DOL) final worker classification rule that jeopardizes the ability of millions of Americans to work as independent contractors. The CRA has over 60 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and comes after the DOL final rule was released earlier this year. Click here to view Rep. Kiley’s remarks from the markup. Click here to read the resolution. “Washington should support workers, not regulate them into oblivion. As Acting Secretary of Labor, Julie Su and the Biden Administration have announced a new Department of Labor rule, modeled after on the same job-killing AB 5 that will cost millions of independent professionals across the country their livelihoods while restricting the freedom of many millions more to have flexible work arrangements. Our legislation under the Congressional Review Act nullifies this terrible regulation and protects independent contractors. I want to thank Chairwoman Foxx for bringing this legislation to a vote in the markup and I want to thank the Committee for their support,” said Rep. Kiley. The CRA passed by a vote of 21-13 in the markup. Background: Biden Administration rule attempts to restrict the ability of American workers to classify as an independent contractor and take advantage of the flexibility it provides. The rule creates a non-exhaustive, six-factor litmus test for unelected bureaucrats to interpret and decide who is and who is not classified as an independent contractor. It also casts as large a net as possible and gives less legal certainty to independent contractors impacted by the regulation. A recent study out of George Mason University concluded that AB 5 “was associated with a significant decline in self-employment and overall employment in California.” One to Two Feet Anticipated Across Mountain Passes
MARYSVILLE – Caltrans is alerting motorists about a moderate spring storm in the Sacramento Valley and the Sierra Nevada that is expected to create some travel delays for the end of the week and weekend. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning from noon Friday to 8 a.m. Sunday. Snow accumulation is forecast between 8 to 18 inches above 5,000 feet and 2 to 3 feet at the highest peaks. Wind gusts are also forecast up to 45 mph. Motorists should be prepared for chain controls, reduced visibility, additional travel times and delays. If motorists travel during the storm, Caltrans advises to pack extra supplies in the event of an emergency or if traffic is held for an extended period of time. Those supplies should include extra snacks, water, a blanket, and a flashlight. In the Sacramento Valley, rain amounts are forecast between 0.5 and 1 inch. The highest amounts are anticipated near Redding and into the foothills. Motorists should be prepared for slick travel conditions and longer than normal commute times. Updates to the forecast can be found on the National Weather Service website. Motorists are also encouraged to check Caltrans’ QuickMap before traveling for current road conditions and chain requirements or download the QuickMap app from the App Store or Google Play. Road information is also available on Caltrans’ website or by calling the California Highway Information Network automated phone service at 1-800-427-ROAD (7623). Caltrans District 3 is responsible for maintaining and operating 4,385 lane miles in 11 Sacramento Valley and Northern Sierra counties. The department will issue updates on X @CaltransDist3 and on Facebook CaltransDistrict3. (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) responded to President Biden’s unveiled final electric vehicle mandate rule. This de facto electric vehicle (EV) mandate would phase out internal combustion engine vehicles, requiring 67% of new light-duty vehicles and 46% of medium-duty vehicles to be electric by 2032. Its costly and burdensome implementation would ultimately harm American consumers by dictating that they purchase electric vehicles that are, on average, costlier, and that may not logistically work for them, as California regularly has rolling electric blackouts in the summer, and also one of the highest electricity costs in the country. “The average American does not want, and cannot afford, a new electric vehicle. This deeply unpopular mandate will forever tie our auto industry to the Chinese Communist Party, which produces a majority of the lithium needed for these EV batteries and has the potential to decimate our domestic energy industry and harm our auto-manufacturing industry. We lack both the power grid infrastructure and the power generation to support this rule. Demand for EV’s is falling now, mandating their purchase by eliminating the supply of vehicles people want is un-American. I will be looking into every possible avenue to stop it,” said Congressman LaMalfa. Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties. ###
On the Lookout for Campground Hosts for the May-September 2024 Season. SUSANVILLE, CA, March 20, 2024 — There is no substitute for the personal touch that makes a camper feel welcome. Do you enjoy interacting with people and camping in the great outdoors? Are you interested in spending the summer in beautiful Lassen National Forest? If so, you might consider volunteering as a campground host with us. Each year we search for enthusiastic volunteers who enjoy the outdoors and like helping people, to support our public lands by greeting visitors and taking care of the many campgrounds here on the Lassen National Forest. Campground Hosts assist the Forest Service with the operation of our campgrounds by: • Greeting visitors, answering questions, and providing information • Informing visitors of campground rules, including fee requirements • Performing light maintenance such as litter pickup, restroom cleaning, raking, and campsite cleaning • Monitoring campground use and reporting issues to the Forest Service We provide Campground Hosts with uniforms, tools, supplies, and any training necessary to serve in our campgrounds. Campground Hosts receive a free campsite, and at certain locations, may receive free propane refills, and a daily reimbursement in exchange for their service. Length of stay and weekly hour commitments can very. Contact the local ranger station for more information. Background checks will be performed on all prospective Campground Hosts. To find out how you can become a Campground Host, or to request more information, please contact the Lassen National Forest, Almanor Ranger District at 530-258-2141 or Hat Creek Ranger District at 530-336-5521 during regular business hours. Applications will be accepted until all host positions are filled. For more information about the Lassen National Forest follow us on Facebook @LassenNationalForest or X (formerly known as Twitter) @LassenNF. ### USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. March 19, 2024 State Route 70 remains closed to through traffic between Jarbo Gap (west of Pulga) and the Greenville Wye (junction with State Route 89) in Butte and Plumas Counties. Caltrans and contractor Nordic Industries, Inc. continue rock scaling and debris material breakdown at slide locations approximately 3 miles east of the Butte/Plumas County Line (approximate post mile 3) and between Twain and the Greenville Wye (approximate post mile 29.9). Work also continues in the District 3 construction area near Cresta following multiple slides. There remains no estimated time to reopen the highway. Crews are continuing to work to return these slide areas to 24/7 one-way traffic control as soon as possible, pending future weather, activity, and area safety. 24/7 updated highway conditions are available via QuickMap and updates on the emergency efforts in Plumas County can also be found on the Caltrans District 2 Facebook and Twitter pages. Updates on the slide area near Cresta in Butte County can be found on the Caltrans District 3 Facebook and Twitter pages. If you have other questions, please contact the Caltrans District 2 Public Information office at 530-225-3426 or D2PIO@dot.ca.gov. Link to recent drone video footage The excitement of each year’s Fair begins with the arrival of the Exhibit Guide. Fair Manager John Steffanic says it’s time to get excited! The theme for the 2024 Plumas Sierra County Fair is “Mountains of Memories”. Many of us have so many memories of past fairs, and everyone can make even new ones starting this year! It all begins with entering something in the 2024 Plumas Sierra County Fair, July 25-28. This year’s exhibit guide is filled with divisions and classes that lets everyone who lives in the area show what they have made, grown or raised.
The steps are simple; browse the exhibit guide, decide what you might like to enter, fill out the entry form, turn it in to the Fair office by the deadline (Most are July 5, many of the Floriculture entries are due just the week before the Fair), and then bring your entries to the Fair on the dates shown in the guide. There are many categories that are not what some people would think of at a Fair. There are certainly the classics; jelly, baked goods, zucchini, flowers and needlepoint. But there are also divisions that are unique, and might not require a particular aptitude to enter. There is a Division for Giftwrapping. Do you write poetry? Enter your poems. Grow a box garden. The Fair actually provides the box! You can enter soap or candles you have made. You can decorate a cake, pie or confection, even if you didn’t make it, the judging is on the decoration. Enter jerky, or salsa. Crochet a rug, sew a Christmas tree skirt. There are categories for all these. If you have an African Violet, or a cactus, or a Boston Fern that thrives in your home, please share it with everyone by entering it in the Floriculture Building. Some people don’t have a green thumb, but love plants. There are several divisions for silk or dried flower arranging. Finally, everyone should know that to enter something from your garden, you only have to turn in an entry form the Friday before the Fair. Perhaps it is some cut flowers, or some fresh carrots or onions. Don’t forget about the oddities; largest vegetable, oddest shaped vegetable or the heaviest tomato. These are all things the public needs to see! Printed Exhibit Guides are available at all Plumas Bank branches and public libraries. Copies can also be picked up at the Fair Office. A downloadable version is available on the Fair website; www.plumas-sierracountyfair.net. The Fair has also taken the extra step of breaking the book down by sections for those that still have dial up and don’t necessarily need the entire book. Livestock entries are due on June 28 and most all other entries are due July 5.
Californians can no longer purchase new gas-powered lawn equipment. “Using herbivores — specifically ruminants — for targeted grazing is especially beneficial for Golden State residents looking to enhance their landscape’s wildfire resilience,” is advised by Lawn Love. “Retire your lawn mower for a lamb mower,” they write. It ranks California in First Place for being the Best State for Animal Lawn Mowing. Benefits of hiring ruminants to mow your lawn? First, you need to have space to keep the animals. time and desire to keep them fed and happy. A UC Davis study showed students were happier and less stressed when the UC Davis Sheepmowers were out grazing on campus lawns. Think about how much fun it is to sit back and watch the sheep do their thing. Natural fertilizer. No need to add synthetic fertilizer when you’ve got natural, organic fertilizer straight from the grazers. Labor reduction. Who wouldn’t want to give up their (gas-guzzling) lawnmower and sit back with a cold drink while ruminants do the work for you? You won’t get perfectly straight edges. The animals will eat along the fence line, but the result will not be quite as tidy as with a lawnmower. It takes longer for ruminants to mow your lawn than a lawnmower, so, What — if any — are the main differences between hiring a crew of goats or sheep? Sheep will graze your grass. They tend to keep their heads down when they graze and “cut” the grass blades down. In fact, before the lawn mower was invented, sheep and scythe were the main tools for keeping yards tidy. Goats are browsers. They enjoy roughage. Goats like to eat at chin level and will strip shrubs and trees of leaves and twigs before they turn to the grass. Goats are great for clearing large areas of vegetation. With spring right around the corner, yard-work will soon begin! Along with cleanup of yard debris and pine needles it’s important to remember the residential burning requirements and rules.
First of all, burning can only be done on a permissive burn day, even when permits are not required. Burn day status and permit requirements are determined by the weather conditions. To find out if it is a burn day, you can go to the myairdistrict. com. Also, by calling to find out if it’s a burn day for the following areas: Portola: (530) 832-4528 Quincy: (530) 283-3602 Greenville: (530) 284-6520 Chester: (530) 258-2588 Pile burning requirements are as follows: Green vegetation should be dry for a minimum of 3 to 6 weeks before burning. A maximum pile size of 4 feet in diameter. Clearance of all flammable material and vegetation within 10 feet of the outer edge of the burn pile. An adult should always be in attendance with a shovel, hose and bucket, until the fire is dead out. No household, trash or construction debris can be burned outdoors at residences. Permits are available online at burnpermit.fire.ca.gov or from CALFIRE and US Forest Service Office, Chester, Fire Protection District, Beckwourth Fire, Protection District, or Peninsula Fire Protection District at Lake Amador. Within the city limits of Portola, residential burning is banned year-round. Burning is only allowed if the weather conditions are safe, without wind, and would not create a smoke nuisance for anyone because you can be cited. This is an article you can find in Plumas County Living With Fire, Our Communities, Our Responsibility magazine which is on display in several public places, such as Leonards in Portola and Portola City Hall. This article is written by The Plumas County FireSafe, Counsel in Quincy, and also California Department of Forest and Fire Protection CALFIRE. This article was submitted by Adrian Hardy. DISCUSSION and possible action of resolution pertaining to salaries for appointed and elected Sierra County department managers was a topic at the Board of Supervisors’ meeting held Tuesday, March 5th in Downieville. Supervisor Lee Adams stated that both Board Chairman Paul Roen and himself as Vice Chair sat with department managers discussing the memo that states in part, “The Department Heads (DH) have requested a COLA /Adjustment that would bring DH close to the employees’ COLAs (Cost Of Living Adjustment) over the last 17 years. In those same 17 years, DH have received 10% compared to the employees’ 25-26%, and only in the last two fiscal years 20-21 and 21-22.
In 2006 the Board gave long term DH a large increase. Since that time, we have had 46.20% inflation. So, $1 in 2006 has the buying power of 53.8 cents today. Social Security in the same period given 41.33% in COLAs keeping the retiree today at 95.13 cents of buying power. Sierra County employees have received COLAs of 26.5% and 25.50%, giving their $1 in today dollar 79.3 cents and 80.3 cents of buying power. CalPERS has given 32% in COLAs keeping retires in that system at 85.8 cents of buying power today. DH have had 10% in COLAs during that same period from 2006 to today, giving their dollar only 63.8 cents of buying power. The DH are asking for our dollar to be 75.94 to 76.49 cents.” Adams said one of the reasons the budget has been as good as it has is because the department managers are responsible. He spent time pondering their issue and looked at COLA’s involving CALPERS and Social Security over the last 15-20 years and felt their frustration with the COLA gap. They talked about county comparisons that County Counsel gave them, looking at Plumas, Lassen and Alpine Counties. Adams felt there was a good argument that county employees have kept up with inflation better than department heads. Tier 1 department managers are being surpassed by 2nd in command in other agencies. He added Sierra County is competing and if they want to fill positions, they need to be somewhat close in that market. Adams stated his biggest concern was the timing and if they decide to move forward the timing of it. He felt whatever the Board decided to do should be to put in the final budget first to see how everything else falls. There was a lot of information to go through, and Roen felt it would be good to hold the item over for two weeks. Adams added it was tough to ignore, that department heads have "eaten it" for the last 15 years to balance everything out. Supervisor Sharon Dryden felt they needed to look at making it more equitable, adding it was hard to compare to other counties when Sierra County department heads have many other responsibilities. From the public, Sandy Sanders told the Board, Sierra County may have bigger things to pay for with declining revenue and possible budget cuts. He felt it would take careful analysis of the budget. Chief Technology Officer Jeremy Miller wanted to point out and to consider the absolute benefit that they think of decisions and find solutions in this area. He stated they aren’t just employees, they are residents as well. He said they are not “just checking boxes” but making decisions on if it will fit our environments. Miller added they are dedicated to this county and their departments and being very financially sound across the board. Public Works Director Bryan Davey said they care deeply about the employees of Sierra County and didn’t want this request to impact employees. Dryden stated the Board was also very cognizant of the huge hits they’ve had to health benefits. Roen appreciated the sincerity and hoped to rectify the situation going forward. This topic will be on the March 19th agenda in Loyalton. THE JOINT MEETING of the Sierra County Office of Education and the Sierra-Plumas Joint Unified School District Governoring Board held its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 5th. The Board voted unanimously for the adoption of the 2023-2024 SCOE and SPJUSD Second Interim Actuals which projects the district will be able to meet its financial obligations for the current fiscal year and subsequent two years. Board President Kelly Champion questioned a one-time contribution of $233,290 to cover a receivable from 21-22 that was not received. Interim CBO, Terri Ryland stated it was a Universal TK Planning Grant that was budgeted and spent but never granted. She called the CDE and they said the grant was applied for, but it wasn’t awarded. The adoption of Resolution No. 24-011D, Intention to Dismiss Certificated Employees for 2024-2025 was passed unanimously. District Superintendent Sean Snider stated with the need to reduce deficit spending, their biggest spending is on staff, and this resolution reduces three full-time teachers. He stated the “best news” was they could do this all through attrition, and won’t need to issue anyone notices. STORM DAMAGE was reported during the Department Manager’s reports at the Sierra County Board of Supervisors’ meeting held Tuesday, March 5th in Downieville. Sheriff Mike Fisher stated Office of Emergency Services had not declared any emergencies from the storm. He was aware of some damages to homes and electrical lines down. Fisher reported having good communication with Public Works, PG&E, AT&T and Liberty Utilities, adding there was a Liberty issue in Loyalton with one of the city blocks not energized. He stated in the Sheriff’s office, calls for service during the storm were minimal. Public Works Director Bryan Davey stated they had to close a couple roads due to power lines down in Sierra City. There was an issue in Verdi with a road they weren’t able to plow and had to contract the job out. Davey also reported the Sierra Brooks water system server failed possibly due to the fluctuations of power. He called it a pretty substantial failure on a fairly new server and had to send the server unit back to Florida. The system is currently being operated manually until the server is back online. Behavioral Health Director Sheryll Prinz-McMillan reported the Behavioral Health (BH) building in Loyalton was without electricity on Monday, March 4th. The Social Services building has a generator but BH does not, so they had to adjust how they operated that day. Building and Planning Director Brandon Pangman reported they were notified by Sierra City Fire Department about trees down on houses. They did inspections on Monday, March 4th and three houses were posted with Do Not Occupy notices, citing significant structural damage. Pangman stated they would be working closely with homeowners and insurance to get them patched up. Nichole Johnson nbjohnson28@hotmail.com The dinner was held March 16th at the Catholic Church Hall with members having sold 100-+ tickets. The tasty corned beef dinner was cooked to perfection by Wendy and Don Bergstrom. Master of Ceremonies was Owen McIntosh who led the judging of the Best Costume, awarded to Will and announced winners of the Silent Auction. Jane Roberti was the lucky $200 winner of the 50/50. All proceeds benefit high school scholarships.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Wolf Livestock Compensation Grants program could be in jeopardy due to the state’s impressive budget shortfall. The program was established and funded in 2021 to compensate livestock owners for depredation experienced with the presence of gray wolves. Since gray wolves began to repopulate California in the mid-2010s, wolf packs have now been established in six RCRC member counties. And with the animal designated as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act, it limits ranchers' ability to mitigate wolf presence impacts on their livestock.
RCRC was instrumental in securing the initial $3 million funding allocation that was included in the 2021-22 State Budget package for the program, which was subsequently developed by CDFW and a wide-ranging group of stakeholders. To date, CDFW has received 102 applications projected to exhaust the program's current funds. Given California’s budget shortfall, the state’s (and legislature’s) willingness to replenish the funds and continue issuing grants to impacted livestock owners is in jeopardy. RCRC has been in discussions with the California Natural Resources Agency and CDFW advocating for the program; however, it would be very helpful if the Legislature hears directly from impacted counties on the importance of funding the program. A template letter to the appropriate budget committees can be downloaded here. Please contact RCRC Senior Policy Advocate, Staci Heaton with any questions or for more information. by Melinda Myers As gardeners, it seems we are all looking for an ideal potting mix for our houseplants and containers. As with any gardening endeavor, a lot depends on what is available, the plants you are growing, and the type of maintenance you provide. That said, there are some things you can do to increase your success and reduce ongoing maintenance. It all starts by reviewing the label on the bag you plan to purchase. You’ll find a variety of bags labeled as planting mix, potting mix, container mix, and more. Check the label to see what the bag contains and recommendations for its use. These mixes usually contain inorganic and organic materials and may also include sand and mineral soil. They may or may not be sterilized to kill weed seeds and pests. If it doesn’t say sterilized, it probably is not, and you should consider another product instead. Many potting mixes are labeled as “soilless.” They consist of peat moss, sphagnum moss, and compost for moisture retention and vermiculite or perlite for drainage but do not contain mineral soils such as sand or clay. They are lightweight and blended to hold moisture while draining well. Some potting mixes are modified to accommodate the needs of certain plants. Orchid mixes often contain more bark for better aeration while cacti and succulent mixes have more sand or perlite for better drainage. African Violet potting mix contains more organic matter to create a moist, rich growing medium. Organic potting mixes are also available. Many gardeners prefer to know the ingredients are free of pesticides and other contaminants. Check for the word organic and OMRI on the label if you want an organic product. Once again, check the label on the bag for more details on the potting mix. Some potting mixes contain a “starter charge” of fertilizer. This minimal amount of fertilizer is usually gone after two or three waterings. Some include additional fertilizer that provides small amounts of nutrients over a longer period. The label may say controlled-release, time-release, or slow-release fertilizer, meaning it provides your plants with nutrients for a certain amount of time. Moisture retaining products are supposed to hold water near plant roots and reduce the frequency of watering. Research has not shown them to be effective. Some gardeners feel they are effective while others end up with root rot when using these. Consider adding an organic product, like Wild Valley Farms wool pellets (wildvalleyfarms.com) to potting mixes that do not contain moisture-retaining products. It is sustainable, made from wool waste, University-tested, and has been shown to reduce watering by up to twenty percent, while also increasing air space and adding organic matter. Select bags of potting mix that are light, fluffy, and moist. Avoid bags that are waterlogged and heavy. The mix can break down and become compacted and some of the slow-release fertilizer may be pre-released and damage young seedlings when saturated with water. Spend a bit of time searching for the potting mix that best matches the plants you are growing and your watering regime. The time spent selecting your perfect potting mix will pay off with greater growing success. Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the recently released Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Wild Valley Farms for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com. NEVADA CITY, CALIF. (March 14, 2024) — Tahoe National Forest’s Pines to Mines Trail will welcome equestrians, pedestrians, bicyclists and Class 1 e-bike users on the new 72-mile trail network. The trail’s development aims to increase national forest recreation access for multiple user groups and abilities while supporting local economic development. Pines to Mines will include approximately 50 miles of existing trail with 22 miles of new trail planned to begin construction this year. “The Tahoe National Forest strives to offer diverse and accessible recreation opportunities for all ages and abilities,” said acting Tahoe National Forest Supervisor Matt Jedra. “Pines to Mines will be an asset to our region and we are happy to offer another recreation destination that not only promotes increased public access to our national forest, but also has the potential to support and grow our local economy.” The trail will boast miles of stunning vistas and guide users past remote lakes, canyons and meadows. The Pines to Mines Trail will include one end of the trail at the existing Pioneer Trail in Nevada City, Calif. and the other at the east end of the Donner Lake Rim Trail in Truckee, Calif. There are several existing trailheads for entrance/exit along the planned 72-mile course with the potential for additional trailheads in the future if there is a need. The inclusion of Class 1 e-bikes as an approved use on the trail expands access to individuals that may not be able to walk or ride a traditional bicycle as far or long. E-bike technology has the potential to include user groups of all ages and attract more diverse users to explore their public land in a socially and ecologically responsible way. Class 1 e-bikes are equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the e-bike reaches the speed of 20 mph. Studies completed during project analysis indicated that Class 1 e-bikes are similar to traditional mountain bikes in terms of components, relative speeds and impacts to trails. “Tahoe National Forest has allowed e-bike use on over 2,000 miles of motorized forest roads and 35 miles of recently designated multi-use trails on the Truckee Ranger District,” said Tahoe National Forest Truckee District Ranger Jonathan Cook-Fisher. “This expansion of trail open to Class 1 e-bikes further improves recreation access for users of all cycling abilities. As always, users on any trail are reminded to make trail etiquette and safety a priority.” Trail etiquette is the polite way to use trails and allows everyone to enjoy the outdoors and have a good time while being safe and courteous. It is every trail user's responsibility and right to ensure their own safety and expect safe practice from other trail users. When traveling multi-use trails, users may encounter many different forms of trail use, such as hikers, bikers, horseback riders or off-road vehicles on motorized routes. Therefore, the user must adjust to different regulations—who passes first, who slows down, who gets the right of way. A basic etiquette rule is “Wheels Yield to Heels.” Bicyclists and e-bikers yield to all other users while hikers and walkers yield to horseback riders. Completion of new Pines to Mines trail construction is contingent on available funding and resources. Tahoe National Forest will continue to work with partner groups to identify grant opportunities and funding sources to complete trail construction and recreation facility improvements such as increased signage and trailhead infrastructure. Trail proponents and partners that have assisted the forest in project development, funding and implementation include Bear Yuba Land Trust, Bicyclists of Nevada County, County of Nevada, Gold Country Trails Council, Truckee Donner Land Trust, Truckee Trails Foundation and Trust for Public Land. The Pines to Mines Trail Project began analysis in 2022. Extensive public outreach and comment opportunities were provided by the forest to gather insight from interested parties and organizations. Tahoe National Forest incorporated public feedback into the project’s decision notice published today, March 14, 2024. To read the decision notice and Pines to Mines project documents visit www.fs.usda.gov/project/tahoe/?project=61221. ### USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. Trail etiquette is important to understand when traveling multi-use trails where recreationists may encounter different forms of trail use such as hikers, bikers, horseback riders or off-road vehicles on motorized routes. Therefore, the user must adjust to different regulations—who passes first, who slows down, who gets the right of way. A basic etiquette rule is “Wheels Yield to Heels.” Bicyclists and e-bikers yield to all other users while hikers and walkers yield to horseback riders. Mountain bikers ride a multi-use trail on the Tahoe National Forest. Two mountain bikers traverse rocky terrain on a multi-use trail on the Tahoe National Forest. Congressmen LaMalfa and Vasquez Introduce Legislation To Encourage Grazing to Mitigate Wildfires3/14/2024 (Washington, D.C.) – Today, Representatives Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) and Gabe Vasquez (D-N. Mex.) introduced a bipartisan bill to direct the United States Forest Service to expand the use of proactive, targeted animal grazing in fuels management programs to reduce wildfire risk.
“Utilizing livestock for fire fuel management is common sense. It’s an important tool that unfortunately isn’t being utilized enough. In California, we’ve seen firsthand what happens when we can’t use every authority available to prevent wildfires,”said Congressman LaMalfa, Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Forestry. "New Mexico knows all too well how disastrous wildfires can be for our families and homes. That's why I'm proud to introduce the bipartisan Utilizing Grazing for Wildfire Risk Reduction Act," said Vasquez, a member of the House Agriculture Committee’s Forestry Subcommittee. "This bill will help cut through red tape and make it easier to use livestock grazing proactively to prevent wildfires and keep New Mexicans safe.” Currently, agencies are limited in the scope of tools they can consider, and often the post-fire teams bear the burden of suggesting “creative” tools like livestock grazing for fuels reduction as pilot programs. While targeted grazing is a powerful tool to combat wildfires, it can often be found as a difficult option because any change to a federal grazing permit requires environmental assessments that take up to 10 years to complete. Additionally, current federal regulations make it nearly impossible for ranchers with federal lands grazing permits to use overgrown fields and keep the invasive cheat grass, a highly flammable forage, at bay after a fire, only increasing the likelihood of another fire occurring again. Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties. With spring right around the corner, yard-work will soon begin! Along with cleanup of yard debris and pine needles it’s important to remember the residential burning requirements and rules. First of all burning can only be done on a permissive burn day, even when permits are not required. Burn day status and permit requirements are determined by the weather conditions. To find out if it is a burn day, you can go to the myairdistrict. com. Also, by calling to find out if it’s a burn day for the following areas:
Portola: (530) 832-4528 Quincy: (530) 283-3602 Greenville: (530) 284-6520 Chester: (530) 258-2588 Pile burning requirements are as follows: Green vegetation should be dry for a minimum of 3 to 6 weeks before burning. A maximum pile size of 4 feet in diameter. Clearance of all flammable material and vegetation within 10 feet of the outer edge of the burn pile. An adult should always be in attendance with a shovel, hose and bucket, until the fire is dead out. No household, trash or construction debris can be burned outdoors at residences. Permits are available online at burnpermit.fire.ca.gov or from CALFIRE and US Forest Service Office, Chester, Fire Protection District, Beckworth Fire, Protection District, or Peninsula Fire Protection District at Lake Amador. Within the city limits of Portola residential burning is band year-round. Burning is only allowed if the weather conditions are safe, without wind, and would not create a smoke nuisance for anyone because you can be cited. This is an article you can find in Plumas County Living With Fire, Our Communities, Our Responsibility magazine which is on display in several public places, such as Leonards in Portola and Portola City Hall. This article is written by The Plumas County FireSafe, Counsel in Quincy, and also California Department of Forest and Fire Protection CALFIRE. This article was submitted by Adrian and HARDY. California’s Cap-and-Trade Program Continues to Benefit PG&E Customers through the California Climate Credit OAKLAND, Calif. — In April, more than 5 million Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) customers will automatically receive the California Climate Credit on their energy bill. Residential households with an active electric account will automatically receive an electric credit of $55.17, an increase from last year’s credit of $38.39. Residential households with an active gas account will automatically receive a credit of $85.46, an increase from the $52.78 credit in 2023. That is a total credit of $140.63 for customers receiving both gas and electric service from PG&E. “This credit highlights our partnership with the state to champion environmental responsibility,” said Vincent Davis, Senior Vice President, Customer Experience. “It encourages sustainable practices, moving our communities toward a brighter, greener future.” The California Climate Credit is part of the state’s efforts to fight climate change and is distributed by PG&E to customers as directed by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). This credit is from the California Cap-and-Trade Program, which requires power plants, fuel providers, and large industrial facilities that emit greenhouse gases to buy carbon pollution allowances. The bill credit is designed to help utility customers during the transition to a low-carbon future. Residential customers receive biannual electric credits during April and October, while natural gas customers receive an annual credit in April. Eligible small business customers receive identical electric credits, distributed twice a year. Both sets of customers will receive the second electric credit in October. PG&E will also distribute over $36 million to eligible industrial customers on behalf of the CPUC. Eligibility requirements and other details are online here. In addition to the California Climate Credit, customers are encouraged to explore other ways to save energy, reduce costs on monthly bills, and contribute to building a sustainable future. PG&E Assistance Programs for Income-eligible Customers
PG&E’s Energy Efficiency DIY Tool Kit Did you know you can lower energy bills and save money with PG&E’s Energy Efficiency DIY tool kit? With a $200 investment in energy-efficient materials, customers can save nearly $1,000 each year. For more ways to manage your monthly bills, visit: Save Energy & Money. About PG&E Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than sixteen million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news You can read about PG&E’s data privacy practices at PGE.com/privacy. Dr. Glenn Mollette In his State of the Union address, President Joe Biden referred to an American dilemma – the shrinking Snicker’s bar. He pointed out that his Snicker’s bar purchase had less or fewer Snickers. I’m not exactly sure what a Snickers is, nuts, chocolate, sugar, the content of the bar. Size matters, when you’re hungry. It’s just a bad thing when you stop at your local convenient store to buy a soda pop and you walk out with a Snicker’s bar that cost more but has less in the wrapper. Apparently, there must be less Fritos and Cheetos in the bags as well. This is a sad time in America. I remember buying a large bottle of coke, a bag of chips and a pastry for 25 cents. Those were the days but they are long past. It’s an epidemic of course. It’s not just candy bars and junk food. Check the size of your fast-food hamburgers and the cost. You are paying more for less. A hundred dollars doesn’t go very far at the grocery store. American families are having a difficult time putting food on the table. A mother who cooks for her family every day is having to stretch her budge more and more. President Biden is concerned about the problem but it’s been a growing problem for three years. It’s not getting better When does he propose to fix the problem, after he is reelected? Why not now? Or, why not over the past three years? People are hurting today. Promises of a better life if he is reelected are not reassuring to many Americans. The border crisis is our number one issue this election. It’s not a priority with President Biden. He’s had three years to be walking that border. He’s had three years to stop the invasion of illegals and gang members into our country. His recent photo op to the border is too little too late. Joe Biden stopped the progress of the border wall. He opened the gates wide to the illegals. The results are not positive. We have major cities on the verge of economic collapse. Public schools, housing and more are suffering. Mayors are pleading for help. Recently, Biden submitted a Border Immigration Bill to Congress that has not been approved. The bill still allows for an average of 5000 people a day over seven days to come into the United States illegally before closing the border. Or, the one-day maximum number is 8,500 entries before the border is closed. This a larger number of people than some of our rural counties in America. Over the course of a year this would amount to a city the size of Indianapolis or larger coming into our country. This is not border security, but only a continuation of Biden’s insanity. We do need to help Ukraine. Putin is not anyone’s friend. Trump made a stupid statement about Putin attacking non supportive NATO countries. However, the border security and Ukraine expenditures should be separate bills. If we don’t tightly secure our border our children are going to have a scary place to grow up. Sadly, we may already be in that place. Find books by Glenn Mollette at Amazon.com Learn more about his books, columns and music at GlennMollette.Com Global Media | P.O. Box 1238, Newburgh, IN 47629 Unsubscribe jbuck@psln.com Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by newburgh@newburghseminary.ccsend.com powered by Try email marketing for free today! Friday, March 1st brought a furious wind storm that toppled trees in Sierra City. The power went out with trees across power lines in at least four locations in residential areas of Sierra City. One tree fellon a car and destroyed it. the power outage was widespread from Downieville to Green Acres and the snow really piled up. Downieville was the first to gewt power restored. The Kentucky Mine was off for three days. Snow was said to be five feet. - Story and photos by Mary Davey Friday March first was the wind storm that caused damage by toppling trees. We had a decent amount of snow but the wind caused the power to go out because of trees across power lines in at least 4 places in our residential areas here in Sierra City. A tree fell on a car in our neighborhood and destroyed it to.The power outage was widespread from Downieville to Green Acres. The following days is when the snow really piled up. Downieville got power restored first, not sure date, but we were off for 3 days here by the Kentucky mine.
I didn't measure but 5 feet total during 4 days is what I heard. Friday March first was the wind storm that caused damage by toppling trees. We had a decent amount of snow but the wind caused the power to go out because of trees across power lines in at least 4 places in our residential areas here in Sierra City. A tree fell on a car in our neighborhood and destroyed it to.The power outage was widespread from Downieville to Green Acres. The following days is when the snow really piled up. Downieville got power restored first, not sure date, but we were off for 3 days here by the Kentucky mine. Snow was said to be 5 feet total during 4 days. Story and photos by Mary Davey |