• Study of studies based on 5-years driving data.
• Arizonans are the most improved drivers; Michiganders the least.
• Table showing America's most and least improved drivers.

It can be a battlefield out on the open road (or even just on the daily commute). America may well be a great car country, but the same cannot be said of today’s drivers, many of whom illegally speed, use cell phones, or even drive after drinking.  
Year-on-year, a nationwide assessment names and shames the country’s worst drivers, or the best. Gunther Volvo Coconut Creek this year decided to carry out a study of studies, analyzing data and rankings between 2018 - 2022, to determine the country’s most and least improved drivers over a five-year time period. 
And the award for most improved drivers over the past 5 years goes to the good people of Arizona! In 2018, drivers in the Grand Canyon state languished in 49th place, and in 2022 they were near the top - at number 8! That’s a giant move of 41 places. 
However, you probably don’t want to find yourself driving in Michigan, the state which saw the least improvement over the last five years. In fact, Michiganders used to be among the nation’s best drivers. Drivers here had proudly held the number 10 position in 2018, but tumbled down 39 places to come 49th in 2022. Talk about taking your eye off the ball - or, more likely, the road.
California drivers can be very satisfied on where they placed: 3rd most improved. Indeed, in 2018 they were the 17th worst drivers in the country, but ended in 2022 in 2nd position - a leap of 32 places!
Gunther Volvo Coconut Creek have created a table showing America's most and least improved drivers by state.
How did the other states fare? For several years running, (they topped the list in 2019, 2020 and 2021 for worst drivers in the country) Mississippi was awarded the dubious honor of being the state with the worst drivers in the country. This was assessed on information such as the percentage of drivers who were insured, the number of DUI arrests per 1,000 drivers, the number of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles driven and how often residents Googled terms like ‘traffic ticket’ or ‘speeding ticket’. However, a recent improvement in their driving technique in 2022 saw them placed in 39th place nationally, a significant improvement, but still with work to do. 
Conversely, you’d be happy to live in Massachusetts, as Bay Staters were ranked as the best drivers for three years in a row. They ranked very low in terms of DUIs and fatalities, and very high in terms of insured drivers. So at least if you did have a mild prang with a Bay Stater, you know they would be above board when it came to exchanging insurance details. 
‘Well, at least we now know which states to avoid going for a road trip through, and which ones to definitely seek out!’ says Joseph Gunther IV at Gunther Volvo Coconut Creek. ‘But the message overall still has to be: drive carefully out there, people.’


​

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, with Senator Bill Dodd and Senator Nancy Skinner, introduced Senate Bill 478 (SB 478), landmark legislation seeking to prohibit in California the practice of hiding mandatory fees. The use of hidden fees and junk fees is a deceptive advertising practice in which a seller uses an artificially low headline price to attract a customer before revealing additional charges later in the buying process. Sellers often hide these additional, mandatory charges by using small type, vague descriptions or misleading wording such as “service fees,” by bundling them with legitimate charges like taxes, or revealing them clearly only after the consumer has invested time in the transaction. The legislation  — the first bill of its type across the state — would prohibit advertising a price for a good or service that does not include all required charges other than taxes and fees imposed by a government.
“Transparency and full disclosure in pricing are crucial for fair competition and consumer protection,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Unfortunately, from car rental and hotel fees to concert ticket service charges, these hidden costs have been normalized in the purchasing process. Today’s legislation seeks to hold businesses accountable for their deceptive and misleading practices at the expense of the financial security of millions of Californians. My office will continue to work tirelessly to ensure an equal, level playing field and demand transparency across the board for the protection of California consumers.”
“Californians are sick and tired of dishonest fees being tacked on to seemingly everything,” said state Senator Bill Dodd. “It’s an underhanded trick to boost corporate profits at the expense of those who can least afford it. Working with Attorney General Bonta and Senator Skinner, we’re going to put an end to these unfair practices that President Biden has so righteously shined a bright light on. It is time we put the consumer first and create a level playing field for those businesses who are good actors and advertise the real price upfront.”
“Californians are fed up with being bombarded by junk fees that, more and more, are making it unaffordable to attend a concert, go to a sporting event, take a vacation, or stay at a hotel,” said state Senator Nancy Skinner. “I’m proud to join with Attorney General Bonta and Senator Dodd in heeding President Biden’s call to end the scourge of hidden junk fees. Our legislation will bring transparency to the true cost of goods and services in our state so that Californians know upfront exactly how much they’re being asked to pay.”
Although hidden fees historically have been more common in specific industries such as the travel and lodging industry, the practice is spreading. Deceptive mandatory fees can now be found in a variety of other contexts, such as lodging websites, rental car companies, airport parking, the ticketing industry, restaurant service fees and food-delivery charges, telecom and internet service providers, and the automobile industry. These fees, when mandatory, are nothing more than a deceptive way of hiding the true cost of a good or service. 
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is committed to maintaining a fair and transparent marketplace for all Californians. In December 2022, Attorney General Bonta joined a bipartisan coalition in urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to strengthen proposed regulations to increase transparency in the airline industry, address hidden fees, reduce the rate of airline cancellations, and provide meaningful relief to airline consumers whose flights have been canceled or significantly delayed.
A draft of the proposed legislation is available here.

SACRAMENTO - Today, Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher issued the following statement on the release of inflation data showing consumer prices, led by necessities such as housing, food and energy, increased sharply last month:


“Californians are still feeling the pain of Democrats’ economic recklessness. Politicians like Governor Newsom got us into this mess, and his business-as-usual attitude means families will continue to struggle with high prices for their basic needs.”


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By Caleb Hampton


Fresh cut flowers have seldom been so coveted.
A pandemic-related boom, driven by people beautifying their living spaces while stuck at home, has tapered slightly. But industry experts say a new-found emphasis on self care continues to boost demand, while the upcoming Valentine’s Day promises its usual bump in sales.
“It’s already busy,” Sherry Sanbo, owner of Golden State Floral, a wholesale florist in West Sacramento, said last week. “Right now, we’re trying to buy the product to fill our orders.” Inside her warehouse, clusters of flowers moved down conveyer belts as workers trimmed leaves, stacked boxes and stuffed bouquets.
Across the sector, Valentine’s Day typically trails only Mother’s Day in volume of flowers sold and is often the highest revenue event of the year. “We’re expecting a good, strong holiday,” said Steve Dionne, executive director of the California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers, or CalFlowers. “You can feel the rate of orders coming in now compared to prior years.”
Several factors point to a favorable Feb. 14 for flower producers. The day of the week the holiday falls on “has a huge impact on demand,” Dionne said. “If it’s a Saturday holiday, a lot of potential floral consumers may instead opt for dinner and a movie. This year, it lands on a Tuesday, which is one of those perfect days.” That alone, he said, can boost sales by 15%.
Strong demand is always good news for suppliers. However, various phenomena—from weather to inflation to geopolitics—have left many California growers with mounting challenges and shrinking profits.
“At the moment, things suck,” said Rene Van Wingerden, a Santa Barbara County flower farmer who has been in the business for nearly five decades. “Everything just costs more.”
The rising cost of fuel and farm labor have especially impacted growers. Michael Mellano, CEO of Mellano & Co., which farms 400 acres of flowers in San Diego County, said changes to California’s minimum wage and overtime laws increased his costs and “impacted our business significantly.”
In some sectors, rising retail prices have helped offset expenditures, but in many—including cut flowers—producers are seeing their margins whittled away. “Most input costs have gone up more than the price of flowers,” Dionne said. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wholesale prices for most types of cut flowers were roughly equal this week to the same time last year.
For years, the global nature of the flower market—about 80% of flowers sold in the U.S. are imported—has prevented domestic flower farmers from raising prices in response to local conditions.
At the height of the pandemic, supply chain disruptions and labor challenges caused a worldwide shortage in cut flowers, reducing imports. Now, production in South America has rebounded, and with the war in Ukraine blocking some trade with Europe and Russia, more of those flowers are coming to the U.S.
“Some of our domestic flower growers are being increasingly pressured by low-cost imported flowers that are being moved into the marketplace,” said Camron King, CEO and ambassador for Certified American Grown, a nonprofit trade association representing U.S. cut flower farmers.
“Because of the trade circumstances, countries like Ecuador and Colombia are looking for places to sell their product, and it’s easy to move it into the U.S. market at a low price point,” King said. In some cases, he added, domestic growers are losing clients as buyers opt to import more of their inventory.
For California flower farmers, the series of atmospheric river storms that slammed the state last month further complicated Valentine’s Day business.
“When you have dark weather for four or five weeks, it slows production down,” Van Wingerden said. “The plants are like solar panels. They only work when the sun is out.” The Santa Barbara County farmer said the storms decreased his Valentine’s Day output by about 30%.
“California flower production is definitely going to be much lower than normal for Valentine’s Day,” said Marty Espe, employee-owner at Flora Fresh Inc., a Sacramento-based wholesale florist that sources flowers from more than a hundred California flower farms. “The storm system that came through, and the cold weather after, has severely slowed field production.”
Northern California, the Central Coast and the Santa Barbara area appeared to have been impacted the most, Espe said. According to wholesalers, many of the state’s dahlias and Matsumoto asters were wiped out. Gerbera daisies, because they are delicate and not easily imported, “are one of our strong points,” Van Wingerden said, but those characteristics made the daisies especially vulnerable to the storms.
“A lot of the California crops got hit hard,” said Sanbo, the Golden State Floral owner. “Because it was so cold, the flowers are also too short for bouquets. They have to be at least 25 inches. Now, they’re coming in at 22 inches.” The state’s dianthuses have been especially stunted, Sanbo said.
The losses for California flower growers have left wholesalers scrambling to fill Valentine’s Day orders—and ultimately resorting to more imports. “Our goal is to buy local—to buy California product first,” Espe said. “But when we hit situations like this, we’ve switched gears and are obtaining as much product as we can out of South America.”
Sanbo said Golden State Floral is also substituting California flowers with imports from Ecuador and Colombia, sometimes at a loss, she added, as it is too late for wholesalers to change the prices they’ve agreed with supermarkets and retail florists.
“California produces flowers that go all over the country,” Espe said. “With the number being limited, every wholesaler across the country is chasing product right now to cover their orders.”
(Caleb Hampton is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. He may be contacted at [email protected].)


Permission for use is granted. However, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation

 
QUINCY, CA — Plumas National Forest firefighters continue to make great progress on pile burning on the forest due to excellent weather conditions.
Conditions permitting, beginning tomorrow, the Feather River Ranger District plans to treat approximately 63 acres of mechanical piles created through post-fire recovery efforts at Feather Falls. 
This work will clear the area as Mooretown Rancheria continues restoration and repair work along the trail and road at the popular recreation site.  Fire managers anticipate additional burning in the area next fall.
Butte County Rural Conservation District, the TREX prescribed fire training exchange and Chico State University may also assist with the pile burning at Feather Falls.
Last week, the Feather River Ranger District completed pile burning along Bald Rock Road and at Bald Rock Trailhead, as well as burning 25 piles of scotch broom near Magalia.
On the Mount Hough Ranger District, pile burning is planned to resume tomorrow, conditions permitting, in Butterfly Valley.  Approximately 22 acres of piles near Blackhawk Road are identified for treatment.
Last week, despite clear weather, conditions were still too snowy near Antelope Lake.  Firefighters ignited piles in the area over two days.  The approximately 20 acres of piles ignited were not meeting the 80 percent pile consumption objectives.  Efforts shifted to focus on piles in Butterfly Valley where conditions were more favorable.
Approximately 40 acres of pile burning was completed between Thursday and Sunday in Butterfly Valley.  The storm over the weekend helped moderate conditions. 
Pile burning on both ranger districts is being done with support from contract firefighting crews with Firestorm Wildland Fire Suppression, Inc.
Smoke is expected to be visible in nearby communities, including Quincy and Meadow Valley.  There are no expected significant long-term impacts to nearby communities. 
Short duration, minor smoke impacts are expected along neighboring forest roads, as well as along California State Highway 70 outside Quincy. 
Visibility on roads in the project areas may be reduced, especially early in the morning and late evening as smoke settles.  Drivers in the area should use caution.
“Due to the combined effects of a favorable weather pattern, the hard work and support of partners and contractors, and the commitment of our local firefighters, we are making great progress with pile burning so far this season, especially near communities and as part of post-fire recovery efforts,” said Plumas National Forest Assistant Fire Management Officer Mitch Wilson.
“We appreciate the patience of our eastside communities, including Graeagle, while we prepare for a window of opportunity there,” Wilson said.  “The great snowpack we received in December and early January, while a gift, is delaying our ability to make the same progress on the Beckwourth Ranger District piles this season.”
If weather conditions become unfavorable, including increased or gusty winds in the area, burning will stop until conditions improve.  Firefighters will be monitoring conditions and the burning piles until fires are out.
For more information on the Plumas National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/plumas or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas. 
 
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With Valentine’s Day just around the corner and America’s sweethearts expected to spend $25.9 billion on the holiday this year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023's Best Places for Valentine’s Day. It also released its nationally representative 2023 Valentine’s Day Spending Survey, which found that more than 1 in 4 of Americans expect their Valentine to not spend any money on gifts this year.

To determine the most romantic yet affordable cities for celebrating the Day of Hearts, WalletHub compared 100 of the largest U.S. cities across 26 key metrics, ranging from florists per capita to forecasted precipitation to the cost of a three-course meal for two.
 
Top 20 Places for Valentine’s Day 2023
1. San Francisco, CA
2. Seattle, WA
3. San Diego, CA
4. Las Vegas, NV
5. Portland, OR
6. Scottsdale, AZ
7. Honolulu, HI
8. Orlando, FL
9. Denver, CO
10. Washington, DC11. San Jose, CA
12. New York, NY
13. Atlanta, GA
14. Austin, TX
15. Chicago, IL
16. Los Angeles, CA
17. Phoenix, AZ
18. Boston, MA
19. Fremont, CA
20. Virginia Beach, VA
 
Valentine’s Day Spending Survey – Key Stats

• Some People Anticipate Smaller Gifts. 23% of Americans expect their significant other to spend less on Valentine’s Day this year.
  
  
• Dinner May Be Too Expensive. 36% people say that going out to dinner on Valentine’s Day is a bad deal.
  
  
• V-Day Debt Is Worth It for Some People. Almost 1 in 5 Americans think a Valentine’s Day gift is worth going into credit card debt.
  
  
• Financial Infidelity Hurts. Over half (55%) of Americans feel that financial infidelity can be worse than cheating.
  
  
• Bad Credit Might Keep You Single. Around half of Americans would not marry someone with a bad WalletScore or bad credit.
  
  
• Reckless Spending Leads to Breakups. Half of Americans would break up with their significant other if they spent money irresponsibly.
  
  
• Paid Dating Apps Are Undesirable. 82% of Americans say paying for dating apps is not worth it in 2023.
  
  
• Bad Spending Habits Stink. More than half of Americans say that irresponsible spending is a bigger turnoff than bad breath.

 
Valentine’s Day Facts

• $25.9 Billion: Total Valentine’s Day spending projected for 2023 ($192.80 per person celebrating).
  
  
• 2X: Men will spend almost twice as much as women, on average, for Valentine’s Day 2023.
  
  
• $9.9 Billion: Amount Americans will spend on jewelry ($5.5B) and a special evening out ($4.4B).
  
  
• 25%: Share of marriages that begin online.
  
  
• 33%: Overall online dating activity increase across the U.S. between February 1 and February 14.
  
  
• $28.3 Billion: Projected global dating services market size by 2027.

Open house scheduled Feb. 16 to learn about grant opportunities for trail programs
NEVADA CITY, CALIF. (Feb. 7, 2023) — Tahoe National Forest is preparing an annual application to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division, to request funding for trail and facilities maintenance, law enforcement, education, safety, development of a trailhead and restoration. The forest will be hosting and open house where individuals and organizations are welcome to come learn more about the California OHV grants the Tahoe National Forest is considering applying for and how to provide input.  
  
Tahoe National Forest OHV Open House  
 631 Coyote St., Nevada City, Calif. 95959  
Feb. 16, 3:30p.m. to 6 p.m.  
  
“I encourage anyone interested in the Tahoe’s OHV program to drop by this informal open house to discuss their ideas on these proposals,” said Tahoe National Forest Trails Program Coordinator Joe Chavez. “We value feedback from our public and stakeholders because it helps inform and guide how we should move forward and develop our program–directly from those that have an interest and use our trails.”  

Questions, comments or letters can be submitted through the following ways:  

• In-person: During the open house meeting via written comments  
• Email: Trails Program Coordinator Joe Chavez, [email protected]  
• Mail: Tahoe National Forest, Attn: Joe Chavez, Forest Trails Program Coordinator, 631 Coyote St., Nevada City, Calif. 95959  

Feedback on projects and grant opportunities is requested by Feb. 22.  

Annual grants provide important funds for the Forest Service to develop and maintain trails and trailheads, repair winter storm damage and restore trailside environments, as well as provide patrolling, education and monitoring of OHV areas. When finalized, the grants will be available for public review on the State of California’s website (http://ohv.parks.ca.gov) March 7 to May 1, 2023. 
​

​ 

Safety Sam will help promote statewide traffic safety, 
public education and awareness campaigns  
 
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) today unveiled Safety Sam as their new safety cone mascot. The name was selected in a statewide student contest and is part of the campaign to expand public safety awareness to protect highway workers throughout the state.  
 
Huntington Christian School (Huntington Beach) student Miller Ruiz’s winning name was selected from nearly 2,000 entries submitted by K-12 students across the state. In recognition of his winning suggestion, Miller will receive a laptop, a $500 gift card, a $500 gift card for their teacher’s classroom, T-shirts, and a visit from Safety Sam. The mascot will educate Californians on the importance of moving over a lane or slowing down when they see his orange friends and highway workers.  
 
“Caltrans makes safety priority number one, and safety cones are critical to let drivers know when and where highway workers are on the road,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “Including young people in our safety awareness campaigns helps us raise the awareness of both the next generation and current drivers, and we’re excited to make Safety Sam the face of the important work being done to keep our highway workers and the traveling public safe.”  
 
"Educating the public on safe driving behaviors is key to helping save lives on our roadways," said OTS Director Barbara Rooney. “Safety Sam engages the public in a fun and interactive way while serving as an important reminder to be attentive when approaching work zones.” 
 
In 2020, nearly 7,000 work-zone crashes occurred on California roadways, resulting in more than 3,000 injuries and nearly 100 fatalities. Nationally, drivers and passengers account for 85% of people killed in work zones.  
 
California’s “Move Over” law requires all drivers to move over a lane if safe to do so, or if unable to do so safely, slow down when they see amber flashing lights on Caltrans vehicles, law enforcement, and other emergency vehicles and tow trucks. Failure to obey the “Move Over” law can result in fines up to $1,000, plus points on your driving record. 
 
The statewide contest ran from Nov. 21, 2022, through Jan. 20, 2023. Safety Sam will be used by Caltrans Districts for community outreach and engagement efforts. The mascot’s image will also be used in materials aiming to inform the public about the importance of the “Move Over” law and work zone safety. 
 
With safety as its top priority, Caltrans is using the Safe System approach to achieve its goal of reducing to zero the number of fatalities and serious injuries on state highways by 2050. This approach builds on its ongoing work to improve safety throughout its network and on all transportation projects the department funds or oversees, which includes “complete street” features that provide safe and accessible options for people walking, biking and taking transit. 
 
All contest prizes provided courtesy of iHeart Media. For more information on Caltrans and OTS initiatives, visit BeWorkZoneAlert.com and GoSafelyCA.org.

 

Caltrans, OTS Unveil New Student-Named Work Zone Safety Mascot 
Safety Sam will help promote statewide traffic safety, 
public education and awareness campaigns  
 
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) today unveiled Safety Sam as their new safety cone mascot. The name was selected in a statewide student contest and is part of the campaign to expand public safety awareness to protect highway workers throughout the state.  
 
Huntington Christian School (Huntington Beach) student Miller Ruiz’s winning name was selected from nearly 2,000 entries submitted by K-12 students across the state. In recognition of his winning suggestion, Miller will receive a laptop, a $500 gift card, a $500 gift card for their teacher’s classroom, T-shirts, and a visit from Safety Sam. The mascot will educate Californians on the importance of moving over a lane or slowing down when they see his orange friends and highway workers.  
 
“Caltrans makes safety priority number one, and safety cones are critical to let drivers know when and where highway workers are on the road,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “Including young people in our safety awareness campaigns helps us raise the awareness of both the next generation and current drivers, and we’re excited to make Safety Sam the face of the important work being done to keep our highway workers and the traveling public safe.”  
 
"Educating the public on safe driving behaviors is key to helping save lives on our roadways," said OTS Director Barbara Rooney. “Safety Sam engages the public in a fun and interactive way while serving as an important reminder to be attentive when approaching work zones.” 
 
In 2020, nearly 7,000 work-zone crashes occurred on California roadways, resulting in more than 3,000 injuries and nearly 100 fatalities. Nationally, drivers and passengers account for 85% of people killed in work zones.  
 
California’s “Move Over” law requires all drivers to move over a lane if safe to do so, or if unable to do so safely, slow down when they see amber flashing lights on Caltrans vehicles, law enforcement, and other emergency vehicles and tow trucks. Failure to obey the “Move Over” law can result in fines up to $1,000, plus points on your driving record. 
 
The statewide contest ran from Nov. 21, 2022, through Jan. 20, 2023. Safety Sam will be used by Caltrans Districts for community outreach and engagement efforts. The mascot’s image will also be used in materials aiming to inform the public about the importance of the “Move Over” law and work zone safety. 
 
With safety as its top priority, Caltrans is using the Safe System approach to achieve its goal of reducing to zero the number of fatalities and serious injuries on state highways by 2050. This approach builds on its ongoing work to improve safety throughout its network and on all transportation projects the department funds or oversees, which includes “complete street” features that provide safe and accessible options for people walking, biking and taking transit. 
 
All contest prizes provided courtesy of iHeart Media. For more information on Caltrans and OTS initiatives, visit BeWorkZoneAlert.com and GoSafelyCA.org.

 

Caltrans, OTS Unveil New Student-Named Work Zone Safety Mascot 
Safety Sam will help promote statewide traffic safety, 
public education and awareness campaigns  
 
SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) today unveiled Safety Sam as their new safety cone mascot. The name was selected in a statewide student contest and is part of the campaign to expand public safety awareness to protect highway workers throughout the state.  
 
Huntington Christian School (Huntington Beach) student Miller Ruiz’s winning name was selected from nearly 2,000 entries submitted by K-12 students across the state. In recognition of his winning suggestion, Miller will receive a laptop, a $500 gift card, a $500 gift card for their teacher’s classroom, T-shirts, and a visit from Safety Sam. The mascot will educate Californians on the importance of moving over a lane or slowing down when they see his orange friends and highway workers.  
 
“Caltrans makes safety priority number one, and safety cones are critical to let drivers know when and where highway workers are on the road,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “Including young people in our safety awareness campaigns helps us raise the awareness of both the next generation and current drivers, and we’re excited to make Safety Sam the face of the important work being done to keep our highway workers and the traveling public safe.”  
 
"Educating the public on safe driving behaviors is key to helping save lives on our roadways," said OTS Director Barbara Rooney. “Safety Sam engages the public in a fun and interactive way while serving as an important reminder to be attentive when approaching work zones.” 
 
In 2020, nearly 7,000 work-zone crashes occurred on California roadways, resulting in more than 3,000 injuries and nearly 100 fatalities. Nationally, drivers and passengers account for 85% of people killed in work zones.  
 
California’s “Move Over” law requires all drivers to move over a lane if safe to do so, or if unable to do so safely, slow down when they see amber flashing lights on Caltrans vehicles, law enforcement, and other emergency vehicles and tow trucks. Failure to obey the “Move Over” law can result in fines up to $1,000, plus points on your driving record. 
 
The statewide contest ran from Nov. 21, 2022, through Jan. 20, 2023. Safety Sam will be used by Caltrans Districts for community outreach and engagement efforts. The mascot’s image will also be used in materials aiming to inform the public about the importance of the “Move Over” law and work zone safety. 
 
With safety as its top priority, Caltrans is using the Safe System approach to achieve its goal of reducing to zero the number of fatalities and serious injuries on state highways by 2050. This approach builds on its ongoing work to improve safety throughout its network and on all transportation projects the department funds or oversees, which includes “complete street” features that provide safe and accessible options for people walking, biking and taking transit. 
 
All contest prizes provided courtesy of iHeart Media. For more information on Caltrans and OTS initiatives, visit BeWorkZoneAlert.com and GoSafelyCA.org.

With the lack of sunshine, warmth, and summer recreation, it is normal to sometimes get a little
“blue” in the winter months. Here are a few ways to combat seasonal depression, and even lift
your spirits year-round.

1. Houseplants
Having plants in your home cannot only brighten your living space, but also help to purify
the indoor air, which is often more polluted than we think. In addition, research has also
shown that plants are much more conscious than we once believed, and have shown to
have empathy towards other plants as well as their owners. This could also be why
plants are affected differently by different musical genres, (which gives you a great
excuse to blast some Bach while doing chores around the house.)
Having live plants indoors during the winter is a beautiful way to stay connected to
nature, and as a reminder that spring is just around the corner. Many houseplants are
low maintenance, and can propagate (create baby plants) fairly quickly and grow fast.
Spider plants, or Chlorophytum, is a common houseplant that you will be able to take
care of easily, even if you don’t have a green thumb. Philodendrons are also a quick growing
plant, and as it grows you can trim its branches, and by putting them in water, will form
roots to either plant another plant, or leave them in water as a water vase.

2. Exercise
While it may be challenging to go out for a walk or do outdoor activities during the winter
months, there are ways to get the circulation pumping to release endorphins (feel good
chemicals) into your brain more quickly. Exercise can be as easy as using proper
techniques for squats when bending over like making a fire in the fireplace, moving
wood, or loading the dishwasher.
Squatting whenever possible, or doing lunges (think vacuuming by bending the knees
more instead of the back) and by making small changes like keeping your back
straighter and upright, and keeping your knees over your ankles while tightening your
core, while doing chores, optimizes your activity to get the blood pumping. Playing feel-
good music and dancing can also be an easy mood-booster, and if you want to dance
like no one is watching (even if they are) you will burn even more calories!

3. Light Therapy and Blue Light Blocking Devices
With more awareness coming into the light about seasonal depression, light therapy
devices have come into the market, boasting incredibly positive results. Without
exposing yourself to harmful Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, light therapy devices give you
many positive benefits of the sun without exposing you to harmful light emissions, or
ever having to leave your house. They even have alarm clocks that are set to emit light
according to the sunrise, in order to help you synchronize to the natural circadian
rhythms of nature.
With artificial light, comes certain frequencies (often referred to as blue light) from our
electronic device, often affecting our ability to go to sleep at normal hours when the sun
goes down (like our ancestors once did.) Light devices and blue light blocking glasses
can help us reprogram our circadian rhythms to get better sleep at night, as well as
waking up more refreshed in the morning.

4. Snow Crafts
There are a number of different ways that you can incorporate the beautiful Sierra
Nevada snow into your crafts, letting mother nature play a role in your designs. One way
to do this is through ice tye dye. By laying out fabric onto the snow, you can take normal
powdered tye dye (without adding water) and sprinkle in on the fabric. Then, using either
snow or ice cubes (this can be done in hot summer months also) place the ice over the
fabric and let it do its magic! The ice will melt over the fabric, creating unique designs,
fun for the whole family! You can also use watercolor pencils and paper, creating your
art and then setting the paper outside to have the snow fall on it. Art in general, as well
as finding other hobbies that fit your lifestyle and preferences, can help tremendously,
especially on those “snow days” where you feel cooped up in the house.

5. Supplementation
With many people lacking in basic nutrients because of food not being as nutritious as it
was once due to soil quality and environmental aspects, it may be wise to consider
supplementing your diet with additional nutrients, especially in the winter. A high quality
vitamin D supplement can help provide nutrients you may normally get from the sun, as
well as a fish oil or omega 3 supplement, and probiotics. As always, talk to your health
care professional to see what supplements you are lacking, and what you may benefit
from the most.

6. Volunteering
With winter being a time of inner reflection and gaining a new perspective on how we
desire to manifest and shape our lives for the new coming year, a great way to maintain a
positive perspective on life is by volunteering. Not only does it help other people, it also
releases endorphins, and helps you to have the fulfillment that you are making a
difference in people's (or animals) lives, as well a greater purpose than just yourself. By finding ways to volunteer, you not only get a social outlet, but a way to be involved in your community,
to help to make the world a better place. Getting out of the house and finding ways to
connect can be crucial to not only human potential and well-being, but especially this
time of year where many people feel disconnected and isolated.

7. Community Resources
Take a visit to your local library, you may find the perfect book for a cozy read by the
fireplace! Check out local events, like the longboard races happening monthly, to enjoy winter
festivities. Perhaps consider finding ways to enjoy the snow by snowshoeing, skiing,
snowmobiling, or simply finding a peaceful place to reflect, like by the lake or river that you can
drive to daily easily, and sit in your car if it’s too cold to venture out, even for just a few minutes
of meditation. If travel is not an option, find a comfortable space like a window or chair that you
can do some journaling in, or any activity that comforts you (maybe a jigsaw puzzle?)!

No matter where you find yourself this season, make it the best possible winter you can.
By searching for positive perspectives, and being grateful for what we have, we can find new
opportunities to learn, grow, play, and evolve, into the happiest version of ourselves! Hoping you
find your inner bliss no matter what time of year it is, and my wish is that joy, peace, and love,
are with you, no matter what part of this journey you are on.

(Left to right) BJ Jordan, Sierra County Arts Council Executive Director; Mia Martinelli, Sierra County Poetry Out Loud Champion; Abigail Sainsbury, Second Place; Riley Pearmund, Third Place.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

​The fifth annual Poetry Out Loud County Finals for Sierra County were held on Friday, February 3, 2023, in the Student Lounge of Downieville High School, with three student participants, and over twenty people in attendance.  Poetry Out Loud, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, began in 2005 on a national and statewide basis.  In California, it is administered by the California Arts Council, and in Sierra County by the Sierra Arts Council.
    Poetry Out Loud is a program for high school students that involves memorization and recitation of poetry.  Poems are selected from an anthology found on the national Poetry Out Loud website (poetryoutloud.org).  The participants’ efforts are judged on physical presence, voice and articulation, dramatic appropriateness, evidence of understanding, overall performance, and accuracy.  
    This year’s county champion is Downieville High School senior, Mia Martinelli, whose two poems were “anthem for my belly after eating too much”, by Kara Jackson, and “Free Radical”, by Alison C. Rollins.  Mia will now add a third poem to her repertoire, as she prepares to represent Sierra County in the State Finals, which will again be held as a virtual competition in March.  Additionally, as county champion, Mia is invited to submit a written poem of her own creation as part of the state Poetry Ourselves competition.
    In second place is Abigail Sainsbury, a Downieville High School sophomore, whose two poems were “April Midnight”, by Arthur Symons, and “Acquainted with the Night”, by Robert Frost.  Rounding out this year’s winners, in third place, is Downieville High School senior, Riley Pearmund, whose two poems were “Snow Day”, by Billy Collins, and “Lincoln”, by Vachel Lindsay.
    The Sierra County Arts Council presents awards of $250, $150, and $100 to the first, second, and third place winners, respectively.  Additionally, in those years when the State Finals are held in person, the Arts Council pays to send the county champion and a chaperone to Sacramento for the event.
    As always, the Poetry Out Loud County Finals would not happen without the dedicated and enthusiastic efforts of many people.  BJ Jordan, Executive Director of the Sierra County Arts Council, serves as the partnership link with the California Arts Council, writes the grant that funds Poetry Out Loud locally, and facilitates guidance for the program.  Irene Frazier, Downieville High School English teacher, provided encouragement, direction, and support to students considering involvement in the program, and especially to those who finally decided to participate.  The Criteria Judges this year were Carl Butz and Tessa Jordan.  The Accuracy Judge was Mindy Strine.  The Scorekeeper was Linda Guffin.  And, the Prompter was Lynn Fillo.  Their willingness to participate, and the abilities they brought to their respective tasks, made the competition possible.  To each and all, we say a most gracious and sincere, “Thank You!”.
    And, to our student participants, we echo the words printed on the certificates they received:  we honor and celebrate your skill and your courage in “demonstrating the power of the poet in the life of the world”.

On January 31, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed several new members to the California Air Resources Board (CARB).  CARB is charged with “protecting the public from the harmful effects of air pollution and developing programs and actions to fight climate change.”   
Governor Newsom’s new appointees include: 

• Eric Guerra, 44, who currently serves as a Vice Mayor for the City of Sacramento. 
  
• V. Manuel Perez, 50, who is a Riverside County Supervisor and formerly represented Riverside and Imperial Counties in the California State Assembly. 
  
• Bill Quirk, 77, a physicist and former member of the California State Assembly and Hayward City Councilmember. 
  

• Susan Shaheen, 56, who is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Berkeley. 
  

Governor Newsom also reappointed Diane Takvorian (environmental health), and John Eisenhut (agriculture) to CARB and reappointed Gideon Kracov to the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board, for whom he currently sits as a delegate on the CARB Board. 
CARB’s Board is made up of 16 members, 12 of whom are appointed by the Governor and 4 of whom are appointed by the Legislature.  Board members serve for six-year terms.  Six board members must serve on local air districts, one must have experience in automotive engineering, one must have experience in chemistry, meteorology, agriculture, or law, and one must be a physician and surgeon or authority on the effects of air pollution.  Two members are appointed as members of the public and two legislators serve as non-voting ex officio members. 
RCRC is frequently engaged with CARB as they develop strategies to reduce air pollution and implement the state’s climate change programs. 

​On Tuesday, January 31, 2023, a jury trial was commenced in the Sierra Superior Court in the matter of People v. Anthony John Harris.  Mr. Harris, who had previously been represented by counsel, elected to proceed to trial representing himself.
 
         On the day of trial, Mr. Harris decided against proceeding with a jury and the jurors were discharged from further service.  The matter then proceeded as a court trial.
 
         Following one witness, Mr. Harris decided to plead no contest to all 5 charges in the complaint, i.e., violating Health and Safety Code section 11370.1, possessing a controlled substance in the immediate presence of a loaded firearm, a felony, Health and Safety Code section 11550(e), possessing a loaded firearm under the influence of a controlled substance, a felony, Vehicle Code section 23152(f), driving under the influence, Health and Safety Code section 11550, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and Health and Safety Code section 113645, possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors. 
 
         Mr. Harris is set for sentencing on March 9, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
 
 

The IRS exists to serve Americans, not to make the lives of taxpayers harder



By Rep. Michelle Steel and Sen. Bill Hagerty


If you haven’t heard, the IRS is looking to expand its reach into yet another aspect of Americans’ private lives. This time, they want to snoop on your private bank records and transactions. Contrary to President Biden’s claim, they aren’t just going after the wealthy, they are coming for you. This is unacceptable, and Congress must act to stop this outrageous overreach.

We all know the disappointment of having to miss a big concert or sporting event because life just got in the way. What do we do with those expensive tickets? Sell them to a friend, of course. Thankfully, apps such as Venmo make this easy. Found some knickknacks in the attic and need some extra cash for rent? Easy, sell them on Etsy. Simple, right? Not if the IRS gets its way.

Now, if you are asking yourself why the IRS is all of a sudden going to start snooping on your private transactions, the answer is simple: Democrats inserted a hidden provision in the American Rescue Plan requiring third-party payment platforms to report to the IRS when a company or individual brings in revenues exceeding $600 or makes a single transaction. Historically, the IRS was only required to report this information for a company or individual if revenues exceeded $20,000 across 200 commercial transactions.

After much warranted public outcry and a lack of guidance on implementation, the IRS announced at the end of 2022 that it will delay implementation of this provision until the next tax season.

Had the IRS been able to implement their new burdensome reporting requirements, come tax season this April, individuals would have been responsible for reporting these simple transactions to the IRS, completing their complicated 1099K form, and adding another burden to the already onerous tax filing process.

That means the IRS would be empowered to snoop on the private finances of Americans who use a third-party payment platform on anything from the transfer of concert tickets to paying rent, setting up an online wedding registry fund, or even selling a couch to a neighbor or used textbooks to a fellow student. And with radically expanded IRS enforcement thanks to the partisan Inflation Reduction Act, innocent taxpayers could face new challenges with the army of new tax enforcers. To make matters worse, with the IRS’ bolstered data collection, our constituents will face new risks of having their sensitive personal information opened to unauthorized access and identity attacks.

That’s why we reintroduced our legislation, the Stop the Nosy Obsession with Online Payments Act. Our bill would strike the American Rescue Plan Act’s new reporting modification and return reporting requirements to their pre-2021 status.

Under the weight of inflation, many Americans have turned to microbusiness, gig work, or even selling their belongings to make ends meet. The imposition of this reporting requirement will punish them for doing so by subjecting them to an additional, confusing tax form that may cause them to overreport their income or force them to waste time documenting the value of an item they sold. In many cases, filing this form will be a complete waste of time, serving only to prove the taxpayer has no additional tax liability. The IRS exists to serve Americans, not to make the lives of taxpayers harder.

Additionally, the added paperwork burden will only cause further unacceptable delays for an IRS that is already unable or unwilling to prioritize the timely processing of filers’ tax returns. The agency needs accountability and reform — not more weapons to squeeze law-abiding taxpayers. Congress should be working together to simplify and reduce tax filings; our legislation does that.

Congress must act now to prevent an overbearing IRS from imposing this requirement on hardworking individuals. We urge all our colleagues in Congress, regardless of party, to support this legislation so we can undo this IRS reporting debacle and make the tax system work better for all Americans.

• Rep. Michelle Steel is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for California’s 45th congressional district since 2023. Sen. Bill Hagerty is an American politician, businessman, and former diplomat serving as the junior United States senator from Tennessee since 2021.

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ONE MORE THING we don’t want the former Loyalton Swimming Pool area to mimic: the former Loyalton Mobile Home Estates and its lack of progress. 

* * * * *
“FLASHBACK to the 1950s,” my sister, Lori, called it.
We were on our early morning chat, Lori on her landline and me on my cell, and we could hear another voice. “Hello.......” Lori said. A man’s voice responded.  “Hello?” Lori explained we were on a chat and asked where he was. “Norm” was on Court Street in Loyalton. We were both on Second. He and Lori were both with AT&T and Norm said the phone company would be out after he’d called several times. Phones only rang one time. Lori gave Norm her phone number and asked that he include her in any repair. We were just about to sign off when yet another voice came on. Norm said that was Larry from Truckee. Laughing, Norm said, “This is Loyalton.” We all wished each other a good day. He offered to let us talk but we signed off......just like the 1950’s. 

* * * * *

HELEN ROBERTI remembers not having a phone. “When I was a teenager I thought everyone had a phone except us! All my friends in town had one but we didn’t! There were ‘farmer’s lines’ in some places, just not by us,” she says. 
Those farmer lines were a real life line with Louise Ghidossi as operator. During the big winter of 1951-52, Helen stated it was the only line that didn’t go down because it was only one wire and ran from Scolari’s (now Lost Marbles) and it stayed up all that winter, allowing folks to visit.
Helen and the late Elmer Roberti were married in 1954 and didn’t have a phone. Elmer’s mother, Josephine had one, on the farmer’s line from Beckwourth as far as Scolari’s (Lost Marbles Ranch) then it turned east and was attached to the wooden fence posts going through the sagebrush pastures to the Roberti Ranch about four miles away and had existed many years. It never required maintenance and in many places just laid on the ground. 
A new building was going up in Loyalton for the telephone company so the offer came to them for the farmer line. Helen remembers, “We had to build the line to Loyalton to be connected. So, Elmer and his dad, Alfred, did build it in the fall of 1955.” Each party on the party line was supposed to build their own line from their house to the main line. “Well,” Helen says, “some did but most didn’t! Elmer and Alfred built the main line and their’s too!” The main line ran from Dyson Lane up the six mile stretch to Loyalton City limit. Then Pacific Bell took over. Elmer and Alfred helped or built most of the seven legs to hook on to the main line.
At the time, Elmer was a member of the National Guard and drove to Quincy every Monday night. There was a small mill there and he would pick up “pecky cedar” posts to take home to serve as tele-
 
​phone poles on the new project. Elmer had an auger on the tractor to help dig the post holes but the hard pan half way to town was very difficult to penetrate, so they filled 10-gallon milk cans with water and filled the holes and left them to soak which helped a little.
Helen was pregnant with their eldest son, Jim, and remembers painting those posts with creosote, a category of carbonaceous chemicals formed by the distillation of various tars used to protect wood outdoors. She remembers having had a “big brush,” and how “it smelled so strong.” 
Finally the telephone was hooked up and was the first phone Helen had ever had. It was a wall unit with the crank and many years later, son, Dave, refinished it at school. Josie’s was a table model, complete with crank. All calls went through Operator Clara Short.  The switchboard in Loyalton, located behind Timber Cafe, was bigger than Beckwourth’s. 
There were seven parties on their line starting with Elmer, Josie, Edith Huntley, Lucky Hereford cook house, Lucky Hereford “DeBerg” (the former Albert Dotta Ranch), Leon Dotta and Charlie Wily.
Helen states Elmer had a “hard job” as he did all the upkeep and repairs on the main line and of course, did the legs too because if one of the legs was down the whole line was. Sometimes the line might be pulled half way across a field because a piece of farm equipment caught it and the driver didn’t notice  - or care.
When the phones were hooked up there were a few minor problems since they were sharing the line with six other people and needed short conversations or at least to get off the phone when they knew someone else needed it. Some did and some didn’t. When someone’s phone was inadvertently left off the hook they usually found it and put it back on. If they didn’t Elmer had to track it down.
For Helen, “rubber necking,” or listening in on other’s conversations was a problem. Josie thought it was o.k. to do it. She just didn’t want anyone listening in on her conversations. Among others, Helen shared a line with Edith Huntley and Josie shared with Helen’s parents which was awkward so the lines were switched.
Some spoke Swiss to avoid being understood. Helen had gone to Santa Rosa and learned “Double Dutch.” She taught it to her friend, Betty Ramelli, and the two would speak it to confuse any who may be listening in.
Phones would each have unique rings. Helen remembers being called, “Helen of the two rings,” by Gwen Warren’s granddaughter.
In the early eighties they had a new line to build. So, Elmer and the Roberti boys built that one but it was for a buried cable, no poles from their ranch to Highway 49. This ended the need for the farmer party line - they had private lines! Helen says, “While we were grateful for the farmer line, we sure enjoyed the private line!”
For the private line, they dug a deep trench for the telephone company to lay the cable for about four miles and, Helen says, “With no more line repairs!”
Some of the old farmer line remained along the six-mile stretch. Those old pecky cedar posts served another purpose when Roy White used them to hang television lines. The last remaining poles of the original line were recently taken out of the former Wily Ranch, now Grandi’s, and those few just coming into town.

IT’S COLD! Monday’s temperature at the Filippini Ranch was 11 degrees below zero. In town, it was as low as -5. All Loyalton schools had a late start.
Tuesday, in town, it was reported -6.  

​NEVADA CITY, CALIF. (Feb. 2, 2023) — Tahoe National Forest is proud to welcome Kyle Jacobson as Forest Fire Management Officer. Jacobson most recently served as Assistant Fire Mangement Officer on the United States Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.  

“I have known Kyle for over a decade and am excited that he is joining our team on the Tahoe in this critical leadership position,” said Tahoe National Forest Supervisor Eli Ilano. “This past summer, Kyle helped us all navigate through the Mosquito Fire in addition to leading our fire, fuels and aviation programs. He brings a wealth of knowledge, expertise and passion to the Tahoe.” 

Jacobson began his career on the Los Padres National Forest while completing his graduate education in Forestry Management. He also worked for the USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station studying fire behavior and fuels. Jacobson joins the Tahoe after spending the last 15 years on the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit in a variety of fire and fuels management roles. 

Jacobson also serves as a member of California Interagency Incident Management Team 4 as a Type 1 Operations Section Chief. 

Jacobson has been temporarily detailed in the Forest Fire Management Officer role on the Tahoe National Forest since July 2022 and succeeds Jason Withrow, who retired summer 2022. 

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

TNF Wildland Firefighters from Engines, Hotshot, Helitack crews, depart for South Carolina Fire/Fuels Assignment
📸 Courtesy of TNF Wildland Firefighter Kenon Smith -514 Tahoe Helitack Senior Squad Boss

​16 TNF Wildland Firefighters from Yuba River, Sierraville, and American River Ranger Districts off Engines 331, 332, 334, 361, 362, the American River Hotshots, and 514 Tahoe Helitack have returned from a Fire/Fuels assignment to the Sumter National Forest in South Carolina. “For the past two weeks, we’ve been supporting fire suppression preparedness as well as engaging in prescribed fire burn unit preparation for hazardous fuels reduction," relayed TNF Sierraville Engine Captain 362 Zac Stockdale.

Divided into Fuels modules and stationed on the Enoree and Andrew Pickens Ranger Districts, TNF firefighters worked alongside local resources and trainees received training opportunities as Engine, Crew and Dozer Bosses as well as Firefighter 1 training from TNF qualified single resource bosses. The assignment also afforded our firefighters, who are all certified sawyers, the opportunity to utilize and further their chainsaw felling and bucking skills in the local hardwood and pine stands-clearing recent storm damage and removing hazardous dead trees(snags) in the prescribed fire burn units. Leaf blowers and a dozer were used to open up and improve control lines around the units. The combined efforts of the firefighters resulted in 8500 acres of prescribed fire burn units prepped and ready for when conditions are conducive to implement planned prescribed fire-a critical fuels treatment for hazardous fuel reduction increasing Forest and community resilience.

The off-Forest assignment also provided the opportunity to further enhance camaraderie among the wildland firefighters who are from all different modules across the TNF. This unique camaraderie greatly contributes to Tahoe National Forest Fire and Aviation being a highly effective team and a Fire family that will continue working together conducting training, engaging in planned TNF Prescribed Burns and other Fuels projects, as well as responding to fire and all-hazard incidents on Forest, locally, and nationally.

“This experience has been very fulfilling. Working as a wildland firefighter has given me the opportunity to travel the country, work with various crews, and learn new skills, like using a chainsaw.”- Krystal Benn
Tahoe National Forest Wildland Firefighter

Interested in joining our Tahoe National Forest Fire and Aviation Team for the upcoming 2023 Fire Season?
Applications accepted on USAJobs.gov between Feb. 7-16th
For complete details on this In Person Hiring Event in Redding on Feb. 14/15, go to link below and contact TNF Fire Module Supervisors
In person attendance is not required to apply.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/working-with-us/jobs/CA-FireHire

​As a Dozer Boss Trainee, TNF Firefighter Danny Sadlo worked with the local dozer to reopen existing dozer line around part of the Prescribed Fire Burn Unit, assessing ground conditions, terrain, and identifying hazards such as snags-overall looking out for the safety of the dozer.
📸Courtesy of TNF Wildland Firefighter
Danny Sadlo-TNF Camptonville Engine 331 Senior Firefighter

​TNF Certified Sawyer from 514 Tahoe Helitack providing Hazard Tree Felling Training for snag removal in Prescribed Fire Burn Unit to fellow firefighter from TNF Sierraville Engine 361
📸 Courtesy of TNF Wildland Firefighter Krystal Benn-TNF Sierraville Engine 361 Wildland Fire Apprentice

​Tahoe National Forest Firefighters from Engines 331, 332, 334 utilize leaf blowers and hand tools to improve control lines around Prescribed Fire Burn Units.
📸Courtesy of TNF Wildland Firefighter Liam Kok- TNF Downieville Engine 332 Engineer

​Tahoe National Forest Firefighters receive district orientation while stationed on Sumter National Forest, South Carolina
📸 Courtesy of TNF Wildland Firefighter Kenon Smith-514 Tahoe Helitack Senior Squad Boss

​Tahoe National Forest Wildland Firefighters who are all certified sawyers utilize their chainsaw skills to clear recent storm damage and remove dead snags from Prescribed Fire Burn units.
📸Courtesy of TNF Wildland Firefighter Liam Kok- TNF Downieville Engine 332 Engineer

​A unique camaraderie exists among Tahoe National Forest Wildland Firefighters that contributes to a highly effective Fire and Aviation team and Fire family.
📸 Courtesy of TNF Wildland Firefighter Kenon Smith-514 Tahoe Helitack Senior Squad Boss

​
USFS California Wildland Firefighter Hiring Event

The Forest Service is hosting an in-person hiring event for permanent, permanent seasonal, and temporary wildland fire positions across various forests in California including the Tahoe National Forest.
For complete details please see link below:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/working-with-us/jobs/CA-FireHire

Tahoe National Forest hiring representatives will be in attendance in Redding and it is strongly encouraged to contact the TNF duty stations that you are interested in working at ASAP, before the hiring events take place.

Applicants Do Not have to attend the in-person event to apply.

In-person Hiring Event When/Where:
February 14-15, 2023 
from 9 AM -5 PM PST
Red Lion Hotel
1830 Hilltop Drive
Redding, CA 96002

Skip the line and reserve your spot today using this link https://www.fs.usda.gov/working-with-us/jobs/CA-FireHire

For applicants who plan on attending an event, we highly suggest applying on USAJOBS.gov during the application open period, before the event and reserving a scheduled time in order to avoid a long wait. Our goal with these events is to answer questions, move applicants through the interview process, and match local candidates with local positions in California.

Applicants may still attend the event as walk-ins. However, we cannot guarantee a walk-in applicant will make it through the application, interview, and job offer process during the scheduled event.

Applications accepted February 7-16, 2023, for Redding event on USAJOBS.gov for positions on hand crews, engine crews, hotshot crews, and more. Search for these Fire Jobs using the following announcement numbers on USAJOBS.gov and apply by the closing date.

• Permanent /Permanent Seasonal Firefighter
Forestry Aid GS-0462-03
Forestry Technician GS-0462-04
USAJOBS Vacancy Number 23-EHTOCR-R5JAN-FS4886-34DH

• Temporary Seasonal Firefighter
Forestry Aid GS-0462-03
USAJOBS Vacancy Number 23-EHT-OCR-R5JAN-TF3867-3DH

• Temporary Seasonal Firefighter
Forestry Technician GS-0462-04
USAJOBS Vacancy Number 23-EHT-OCR-R5JAN-TF0003-4DH
Meredith Anello

Forestry Technician- Wildland Firefighter Engine 371
Public Information Officer-Fire 
U.S. Forest Service

Tahoe National Forest 
Truckee Ranger District
10811 Stockrest Springs Rd. 
Truckee, CA 96161
cell 4197047214
work cell 5305592829

California Could See a Return to Warm and Dry Conditions in Remaining Two Months When the State Snowpack Usually Peaks
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the second snow survey of the season at Phillips Station. The manual survey recorded 85.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 33.5 inches, which is 193 percent of average for this location on February 1. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast. Statewide, the snowpack is 205 percent of average for this date. Two months remain until April 1, when the state snowpack usually peaks.
The snowpack received a significant boost from one of the wettest three-week periods on record in California, following the driest three-year period on record. California also experienced above average precipitation in December just months after one of the hottest heatwaves in state history in September.
“California has always experienced some degree of swings between wet and dry, but the past few months have demonstrated how much more extreme those swings are becoming,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “California is preparing for more intense and dangerous climate swings by bolstering both drought and flood preparation. While today’s results are good news for water supplies, we know from experience how quickly snowpack can disappear if dry conditions return in the months ahead.”
DWR’s electronic readings from 130 snow sensors placed throughout the state indicate the statewide snowpack’s snow water equivalent is 33.7 inches, or 205 percent of average for this date. While those results are currently outpacing the record 1982-83 season, two months still remain. Every day it does not rain or snow, the conditions are drying. If California returns to dry conditions and the next two months lack additional precipitation, like what the state experienced last season, a significant snowpack early in the winter can quickly disappear. Periodic rain and snow over the next several months will be key to get the biggest water supply benefit from the state’s snowpack without posing additional flood risks.
“Large snow totals like today are a welcome sight but also present new challenges for water managers as they walk the fine line between water supply and flood control,” said DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit Manager Sean de Guzman. “As we move into the snowmelt season in the spring, water managers will work to manage flood risk and optimize the snowpack’s water supply benefits during peak demands in the summer.”
On average, the Sierra snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs and is an important factor in determining how DWR manages the state’s water resources. Its natural ability to store water is why the Sierra snowpack is often referred to as California's “frozen reservoir.”
DWR is currently conducting Airborne Snow Observatory (ASO) survey flights to collect more information on the snowpack accumulated by these powerful storms. Data from these flights, which use LiDAR and spectrometer technology to measure snowpack across broad swaths of key watersheds, will be used by DWR to get an accurate account of California’s snowpack and its water content and will increase the accuracy of water supply runoff forecasts. Since the storms California experienced in January saw variable snow elevations, this data, combined with snow course and snow sensor data, will help DWR understand how snow has been distributed across the Sierra Nevada.
These new data tools align with Governor Newsom’s “California’s Water Supply Strategy: Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future” which calls for modernizing how the state manages water. The tools will also help inform flood management decisions, which will be increasingly important as California swings between extreme drought and flood. The recently adopted 2022 Update to the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan emphasizes the importance of flood management and the need to adapt California’s flood infrastructure to a rapidly changing climate.    
As the state prepares for a hotter, drier future, Californians should continue to use water wisely so that we can have both a thriving economy, community, and environment. DWR encourages Californians to visit SaveOurWater.com for water saving tips and information. As more swings between wet and dry conditions continue in the future, the public education campaign promotes making water conservation a way of life year-round.    
DWR conducts five media-oriented snow surveys at Phillips Station each winter near the first of each month, January through April and, if necessary, May. The next survey is tentatively scheduled for March 1.
Additional Resources

• Video of today’s Phillips survey
• Digital photos of today’s Phillips survey (available early afternoon)
• B-roll of today’s Phillips survey (available early afternoon)
• Snowpack readings (View readings for current regional snowpack and historical snowpack comparison)
• Precipitation data (View current California Data Exchange Center charts for the Northern Sierra 8-station index for updated rainfall readings in the critical northern portion of the state, as well as the  San Joaquin 5-station index and Tulare Basin 6-station index)

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