Signed Detour Route Available for Motorists During Ramp Closure
 
TRUCKEE – Caltrans is alerting State Route 89 (SR-89) motorists in Truckee of an upcoming extended closure of the SR-89 south on-ramp to eastbound Interstate 80 (I-80).
 
The SR-89 south interstate entrance is scheduled to be closed around the clock from 5 a.m. Monday, August 15 through 5 p.m. Friday, September 2 for concrete work. Several concrete slabs are being replaced, which requires extended curing times before reopening to traffic. During the closure, a signed detour will direct motorists along Donner Pass Road to Coldstream Road for access to the I-80 eastbound on-ramp.
 

 
In addition, I-80 east- and westbound motorists should expect intermittent lane closures Sunday night through Friday morning next week between Central Truckee (Exit 186) and Donner Pass Road/Coldstream Road (Exit 184) for roadway widening and individual concrete slab replacement work.
 
Motorists are reminded to expect travel delays on I-80 through November for construction activities. Typical delays of 15 to 20 minutes are anticipated when traveling through the work zones on weekdays. However,delays of 25 to 30 minutes are common on Thursday afternoons due to increased weekend travel levels.
 
The construction activities are part of a $30.6 million project to rehabilitate the existing concrete on I-80 in Truckee, install a westbound auxiliary lane from the SR-89 south on-ramp to the Donner Pass Road off-ramp, install eastbound acceleration lanes from the Donner Pass Road on-ramp and the SR-89 south on-ramp, improve drainage, and upgrade concrete walkways along ramps to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
 
Teichert Construction of Rocklin is the prime contractor for the project, which is scheduled to be completed in this fall. The construction schedule is subject to change based on weather, equipment or material availability, or other unexpected events.
 
The department will issue construction updates on Twitter @CaltransDist3, on Facebook at CaltransDistrict3and on the Caltrans District 3 website. For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans’ QuickMap quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or download the QuickMap app from the App Store or Google Play.
 
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Assemblywoman Megan Dahle Reacts to Latest Inflation Numbers
SACRAMENTO- Today, Assemblywoman Megan Dahle (Bieber) issued the following statement in reaction to the latest inflation numbers.

“Inflation remains high, cost of living is out of control, and California is heading into rolling blackouts. Things have changed in California even since last year. California’s inflation reached a 40 year high this year and our gas prices are still the highest in the nation. My Republican colleagues and I proposed a solution that has proven successful in multiple states already, but Democrats continue to shoot down sensible ideas that aim to help Californians. Our constituents are being forced to choose between gas in their tank or food for their family while Democrats drag their feet coming up with viable solutions. Low and middle income families, especially, are being hit hardest by the inflation. It is time for things to change.”
Californians continue fighting to keep up with the explosive cost of living driven up by out-of-control inflation. Everything from groceries to the price of renting a home is costing more than it did a year ago, and Capitol Democrats have chosen not to tackle this with legislative solutions.
A recently released study from Consumer Affairs shows that California now ranks number two in the United States for the worst state to live in if you want to save. If a person hopes to live off of savings alone in the Golden State, depending on where they reside, they could have less than two months before their bank accounts are depleted.
Californians can also be expected to foot a larger bill for their rent, as tenants may see a spike in their rent increase as much as 10% this month. Adding to this problem, the cost of buying a home has also increased with the rise of mortgage lending rates, adding to the overall cost of a home purchase.
Furthermore, according to a recent national survey completed by Rasmussen, 89% of Americans say they are paying more for their groceries since last year. As Californians, every aspect of our lives is affected by inflation.
For media inquiries, please contact Erik Brahms at 916-319-2001 or Katie Maung at 530-223-6300.
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REDDING – Caltrans District 2 and Mitchell Johnson Construction, Inc. will be starting work to fix areas of erosion damage on State Route 70 in Lassen County, from near the Plumas/Lassen County line to approximately 2.5 miles east (west of Hallelujah Junction). Work will include rock slope protection, slope and weed barrier reconstruction, metal beam guardrail repair, and paving.
 
Construction activities are currently planned to start on August 15. Motorists will encounter 24/7 one-way traffic control with up to 30-minute delays. Motorists are urged to slow down and drive carefully in and around construction areas, follow speed limit reductions in place, and allot extra time for delays. The work is currently anticipated to be completed by the end of September.
 
Construction projects are subject to changes without prior notice.  Caltrans and its contractors do our best to keep the public informed.  To stay up to date on highway projects, please follow us on Facebook and Twitter.  Project information can also be found on the District 2 webpage. The public can also call (530) 225-3426 during working hours or send an email to D2PIO@dot.ca.gov. Updated highway conditions for California can be found on QuickMap and on One-Stop-Shop for the Western U.S.
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Interstate Improvement Project Adding Auxiliary and Acceleration Lanes
 
TRUCKEE – Travel delays are continuing through November on Interstate 80 (I-80) in Truckee for roadway construction activities.
 
Motorists are advised to expect typical delays of 15 to 20 minutes when traveling through the work zones on weekdays. However, delays of 25 to 30 minutes are common on Thursday afternoons due to increased weekend travel levels.
 
On I-80 eastbound, the #2 (right) lane will be closed around the clock from 8 p.m. Sunday, August 7 through 10 a.m. Friday, August 12 between Donner Pass Road/Cold Stream Road (Exit 184) and State Route 89 (SR-89) south (Exit 185). In addition, the SR-89 south eastbound on-ramp may be closed intermittently during the day Monday through Friday for paving work.
 
Motorists should also expect intermittent lane reductions in the SR-89 south roundabout for bore drilling work. Crews will be intermittently closing lanes as they work their way around the rounadbout.
 
Concrete and roadway widening work also continues on I-80 westbound between Central Truckee (Exit 186) and Donner Pass Road/Cold Stream Road (Exit 184) with alternating lane closures anticipated between 8 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. Friday for several weeks. The I-80 westbound off-ramp to Donner Pass Road/Cold Stream Road (Exit 184) may also be closed intermittently for maintenance work the weeks of August 8 and August 15.
 
The construction activities are part of a $30.6 million project to rehabilitate the existing concrete on I-80 in Truckee, install a westbound auxiliary lane from the SR-89 south on-ramp to the Donner Pass Road off-ramp, install eastbound acceleration lanes from the Donner Pass Road on-ramp and the SR-89 south on-ramp, improve drainage, and upgrade concrete walkways along ramps to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
 
Teichert Construction of Rocklin is the prime contractor for the project, which is scheduled to be completed in fall 2022. The construction schedule is subject to change based on weather, equipment availability, lane closure restrictions during Hot August Nights or other unexpected events.
 
The department will issue construction updates on Twitter @CaltransDist3, on Facebook at CaltransDistrict3and on the Caltrans District 3 website. For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans’ QuickMap quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or download the QuickMap app from the App Store or Google Play.
 
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OROVILLE, CA — Facilities at Little Grass Valley Reservoir recreation sites continue to be impacted by severely limited water supply. 
While the campgrounds remain open, services like flush toilets and the RV dump station and water are closed.  Portable toilets have been brought in at each campground.
Anyone recreating at the site for the remainder of the season should plan on bringing enough water for their trip.  This includes RVs, which should bring water from home or another source.
Over the past week, Feather River Ranger District employees have worked on measures to try to resupply the water system.  Those efforts are not sustainable and the natural regeneration from the spring source is slowed by ongoing drought conditions.
The water system has not been completely shut off and there is still extremely limited water available at Little Beaver, Running Deer and Red Feather Campgrounds.  Water conservation in these areas is critical to help prolong the existing water resources.
These conditions typically occur at the Little Grass Valley Reservoir recreation sites as the water system is stressed mid to late summer.  The temporary measures taken are allowing campgrounds to remain open. 
District employees are continuing to work on identifying additional short- and long-term solutions.  More information will be shared as solutions solidify.
“We are happy to be able to keep the campgrounds and facilities open at Little Grass Valley Reservoir,” said Feather River District Ranger Dave Brillenz.  “Little Grass Valley Reservoir is a great place to get away from the heat of the valley and an important part of the community of La Porte and our employees have done a great job keeping it open for area residents and visitors to enjoy.”
The Little Grass Valley dump station and water are closed.  The Wyandotte dump station is still available.  Water conservation is still critical at this site.
If using the recreation facilities at Little Grass Valley Reservoir, faucets should only be used for brief periods of time and be completely turned off between uses.
If leaks or water problems are observed at the campgrounds, please contact the Feather River Ranger District at 530-534-6500.
For more information on the Plumas National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/plumas, follow the forest on Twitter @USFSPlumas or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas. 
 
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today hosted a virtual press conference to highlight new grant opportunities available for aspiring mental health clinicians to support California students. Thurmond also announced a call to service for graduates to become mental health providers in California schools and will use his office to raise awareness about opportunities, partnering with others to lead a statewide recruitment effort.

The mental health impacts of the pandemic have created a public health crisis for youth—one that has left students more prone to anxiety, self-esteem challenges, and even suicide. Across the globe, parents and schools wrestle with how to help children catch up in school and deal with the trauma caused by the global pandemic.

“We now have the funding, and must recruit mental health clinicians, especially in rural areas and in communities of color, and we will be doing marketing and outreach to make sure that everyone knows these resources are available,” said Superintendent Thurmond.

“This is an important moment. Our students deserve and need to have more support, and we’re grateful to have resources that we can use to help them. We recognize that it will take time to build out many of these wraparound services so our students can heal, recover, and thrive, and that’s why it’s important to embark on this work immediately.”

Building off of legislation that he wrote and sponsored, Senate Bill (SB) 1229 (State Senator Mike McGuire, D-North Coast), Thurmond worked closely with Governor Gavin Newsom and the California State Legislature to ensure that the 2022–23 state budget includes $184 million for teacher and school counselor residency programs and expands an existing $350 million residency program to school counselors. It also expands the current Golden State Teacher Grant Program to graduate students pursuing degrees to become mental health clinicians who serve California students, allowing them to receive grants up to $20,000.

“I thank the Governor’s Office for working with us to incorporate the bill into the budget through existing programs so that there is no delay in implementation,” said Thurmond. “I would also like to thank the California Alliance of Child and Family Services for their help in initiating and writing the language that eventually became SB 1229 and their expertise and assistance in highlighting this issue.”

Thurmond is using his office to promote the grant opportunities for aspiring clinicians—including outreach to candidates of color seeking to become mental health clinicians. The CDE will partner with the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing to help launch an online application and website and assist in outreach. Those who would like more information can email mhcounselors@cde.ca.gov.

Superintendent Thurmond’s effort to recruit 10,000 clinicians is part of a larger plan to address workforce challenges in the education sector. It is also a centerpiece of his effort to help students heal from the trauma of the pandemic, recover academically, and thrive as they prepare for the future. Thurmond has simultaneously appointed a workgroup on addressing education sector workforce shortages, which is working to address compensation, training, and recruitment strategies to help offset education staffing shortages in a state that serves nearly 6 million students.

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QUINCY, CA — The Plumas National Forest is moving into Stage II Fire Restrictions tomorrow, Thursday, August 4.
Despite recent thunderstorms and rain showers, fire danger is steadily increasing.  Extended hot, dry summer weather has dried forest fuels.
The extended forecast in the mountains includes dry weather and high temperatures ranging from the upper 80s to the low 90s.
In Stage II Fire Restrictions, campfires are only allowed in specific designated recreation sites with a campground host, in established campfire rings.  Sites are listed in Exhibit A of the closure order.
Smoking is only allowed within an enclosed vehicle or building, in one of the designated recreation sites listed in Exhibit A, or an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is completely clear of all flammable material.
Additionally, internal combustion engines, such as vehicles and generators, may only be used on designated roads and trails.  Boat engines on water are exempt.
Chainsaw use for firewood is still permitted with an expectation that operating a chainsaw off designated roads and trails is minimal.  Woodcutters need to ensure that they are checking the Woodcutting Status each day prior to cutting by calling 1-800-847-7766.  For the latest information on the Plumas National Forest firewood cutting program, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/plumas/passes-permits/forestproducts.
Welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with an open flame is prohibited.
Possession of a valid California Campfire Permit is not an exemption from the prohibitions.  However, they can use portable campfire pits, stoves or lanterns that use gas, kerosene, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel as long as it has a working shut-off valve and is used in an area that is at least 3 feet from any flammable materials.
California Campfire Permits are free and available at Forest Service and CAL Fire offices or online at https://permit.preventwildfiresca.org/.
“The Plumas National Forest has experienced tremendous impacts from wildfire over the past 5 years,” said Plumas National Forest Assistant Fire Management Officer Mitch Wilson.  “Currently we have expanded the hours we are staffing due to increasing fire danger, as well as lightning activity over the past few weeks.  The Plumas has been fortunate so far to have minimal impacts from lightning and for the swift responses to lightning and other fires by our wildland firefighters.”
While not a regular occurrence, expanded staffing of all resources and periodic 24-hour staffing have been an investment by the Plumas National Forest this fire season to help ensure a rapid wildfire response.  This has included during prolonged heat, periods of high recreation use, as well as recent lightning storms.
This past weekend, both the Mount Hough and Beckwourth Ranger Districts went into Lightning Plans, meaning lightning was abundant and there was the possibility of multiple fires requiring response. 
Firefighters are continuing to patrol for fires resulting from those storms, which can smolder for more than 2 weeks before flaring and becoming visible.
“By helping prevent human-caused wildfires, we are not only protecting the forest and communities from the risk of wildfire, but also allowing wildland firefighters to focus on responding to lightning fires and other threats,” Wilson said.  “We appreciate the cooperation of area residents and visitors following the Stage II Fire Restrictions and helping us prevent human-caused wildfires this fire season.”
Suspected wildfires can be reported by calling 911.
The order is formally referenced as Closure Order Number 05-11-22-02.  Violations of the prohibitions are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both.
For more information on the Plumas National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/plumas, follow the forest on Twitter @USFSPlumas or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas. 
 
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

 
QUINCY, CA — The Plumas National Forest has modified and updated Forest Closure Order 05-11-03-21-04 to reopen six roads affected by the 2020 North Complex wildfires on the Feather River Ranger District.  Four roads and all of the trails within the closure order remain closed.
District employees are continuing to work on multiple Forest Service Roads (FSR) and trails to restore access to the public. 
The following roads are now open:

• FSR 22N39 between FSR22N33 and FSR 22N01Y
• FSR 23N00 between FSR 22N34 and FSR 23N28
• FSR 22N24 between FSR 22N27 and FSR 20N09
• FSR 22N24 between FSR 22N25 and FSR 22N94
• FSR 22N25 between FSR 22N24 and FSR 22N50X
• FSR 22N94 between FSR 22N24 and FSR 22N27

The following roads remain closed:

• FSR 22N89 between FSR 119 and FSR 22N12X
• FSR 22N12X between FSR 22N89 and FSR 22N01Y
• FSR 22N62 between Milsap Bar Campground and FSR 22N94
• FSR 21N35Y between Butte County Road 27672 (Lumpkin Road) and Forest Trail 6E33 (Feather Falls National Recreation Trail)

Eleven trails remain closed, including Mountain House, Dome, Big Bald Rock, Feather Falls National Recreation, Little North Fork, Trials West, Sky High, South Hartman to North Hartman, Hansen Bar, Stag Point and Cleghorn Bar Trails.
The roads reopening has restored access to Golden Trout Campground on the Feather River Ranger District.
The current closure is referenced as Order Number 05-11-03-22-02 and is in place until conditions allow or July 31, 2023, whichever occurs first.  There will be public notifications when the closure order is lifted or modified further.
The closure order is for public and employee safety as assessments and work continues to repair and restore access to roads and recreation sites affected by the fire.
Feather River Ranger District employees are working on repairs, reconstruction and risk-mitigation projects associated with the fire damage.  Work in the area has taken longer than expected due to analysis needs, acquiring funding and a shorter season to implement repairs due to elevation, which limits construction activities to summer and fall months.
“We are continuing to make progress on road and recreation sites after wildfires and are working to restore access to the public,” said Feather River District Ranger Dave Brillenz.  “We will continue to reopen sites as we can.”
Area residents and visitors planning to recreate in the area are asked to use caution.  There are still hazards in the burn area, including dead trees that can fall with little to no notice, unstable slopes and potential rock fall, especially during storms.
“We want everyone to have a safe and positive recreation experience on the Plumas National Forest and recognize the risks of recreating in areas that have burned over the past few years, especially in our scenic canyons,” said Plumas National Forest Supervisor Chris Carlton.
Violations of the closure order are punishable of a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment of not more than 6 months or both.
For more information on the Plumas National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/plumas, follow the forest on Twitter @USFSPlumas or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas. 
 
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California Department of Justice to award grant amounts between $250,000 and $1 million; Proposals due by Sept. 2 
OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the opening of the application period for Gun Violence Reduction Program (GVRP) grants. Funding will be awarded by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to county sheriff’s departments to support their activities related to seizing weapons and ammunition from individuals who had previously legally purchased a firearm and have since become prohibited in the Armed and Prohibited Persons System (APPS). Armed and prohibited individuals are a subset of APPS representing less than one percent of the APPS database. As of January 1, 2022, there were nearly 3.2 million known firearm owners in APPS, of which 24,509 are prohibited from owning firearms. DOJ encourages applicants to consider innovative strategies to reduce the amount of armed and prohibited subjects in their areas of responsibility. 
“In the United States in 2022, there have been more mass shootings than days in the year. Gun violence is the number one cause of death of children and young adults in our nation. This is unacceptable,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The fact is, we know that more guns do not keep us safer, especially when they are in dangerous hands. The Armed and Prohibited Persons System is a first-in-the-nation program to help ensure individuals within our state who have become prohibited do not have access to life-threatening weapons. As California’s chief law enforcement officer, I am grateful for the work of our law enforcement partners and will continue to support them as we work together to keep our communities safe from the threat of gun violence.”  
A total of $10 million in GVRP funding was provided by the California Budget Act of 2021, of which $5 million was awarded in 2022, with the remaining $5 million currently available for award by January 1, 2023. DOJ will award grants in amounts between $250,000 and $1 million per applicant, per year.
The Attorney General encourages all interested county sheriff's departments to submit their proposals by September 2, 2022. The Request for Proposal package, which contains all of the information and forms agencies need to prepare and submit, is available at: www.oag.ca.gov/gvrp.   
Attorney General Bonta stands with partners throughout the state to continue preventing gun violence strategically and aggressively by:

• Advocating for commonsense gun laws including by sponsoring Assembly Bill 1594 to increase accountability for the firearm industry, working to strengthen federal laws to protect the public from ghost guns, and successfully defending California’s laws to prevent gun violence;
• Seizing guns from prohibited persons in the Armed and Prohibited Persons System, and through multiagency sweeps in the Bay Area and Los Angeles County, conducting operations targeting individuals attempting to illegally purchase guns, and collaborating with local law enforcement partners; and
• Ending the sale of illegal firearms through litigation against ghost gun retailers, and by putting a stop to the sale of illegal assault weapons in Orange County.

 
By Bryan Golden
      When driving in your car, the rearview mirror lets you see what is coming up behind you.  On the road, vehicles in back of you can follow too closely, hit you, or pass you.  But if you try driving by looking only in the mirror you won't get very far before you crash.
     The highway of life is different.  On this road, the events behind you stay behind you and move farther away with each passing day.  Yet there are people who are obsessed with looking backward rather than forward.  Although they would never try this stunt while driving, they habitually refuse to look through the front windshield of life.
     There are only 24 hours in each day.  Therefore, any time spent looking behind you, into the past, robs you of time to look forward into the future.  The fascination with the past stems from the desire to change history.  As intriguing as this concept might be, the chances of accomplishing this are zero.
     Yet, people get caught in a quagmire of what could have been if only they had done this or that.  Thoughts of could have, should have, or would have seize hold of the mind and clog it with useless and pointless activity.
     The value of the past is that it can teach you what to change, refine, and improve when moving forward.  But when you dwell in the past, forward movement stops.  Although most people would make at least subtle changes, if they could do things over, there are no do overs.
     As you age, the speed at which you move down life's highway seems to increase yearly.  As this perceived velocity grows, obsessing with the past can be very disconcerting.  You don't know where the time has gone and the reality of mortality becomes clearer.
     This phenomenon of the accelerated passage of time is another reason why all of your attention, energy, and effort should be focused forward.  Only with this directional orientation can you fully realize the potential of each day.
     Imagine how boring life would be if each day was spent watching a video of what you did yesterday.  You wouldn't have time to do anything new.  This is exactly how people spend their time when they get trapped in the past by looking only in their rearview mirror.
     Being consumed with what has already transpired causes a great deal of stress, anxiety, and even depression.  You feel powerless to change what has already happened, because you are.  The only control you have is what direction to go while moving forward.  You can't go backward, but you can stagnate.
     An acceptance of the past is the first step to being at peace with yourself.  You may not like what has transpired, but you can't change it.  Learn from the past.  Repeat those things that produced desirable results and avoid behavior that didn't.
     It's easy and tempting to second-guess yourself.  Others will also throw in their opinion of what you should or shouldn't have done.  This combined with your own tendency to analyze, over assess, and redo the past makes it difficult to stay focused on moving forward.
     But move forward you must.  For to live in or dwell in the past ensures that you will squander the present and short change your future.  Whenever you find yourself drawn to the past, remind yourself that you are wasting time and immediately try to refocus on the present.  You will realize that more time than you had thought is spent looking in life's rearview mirror.
     With consistent practice you will be able to reverse your orientation so that a minimum amount of time is spent looking backwards.  Tear off the rearview mirror and devote yourself to looking forward.  The results will be a happier and more rewarding life.
 Bryan is the author of "Dare to Live Without Limits."  Contact Bryan at Bryan@columnist.com or visit www.DareToLiveWithoutLimits.com Copyright 2022 Bryan Golden

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By Christine Souza
Exacerbated by drought, heavy grasshopper and Mormon cricket populations are expanding across the West and feeding on rangeland and crops in several Northern California counties, impacting farmers and ranchers.
Plumas County cattle rancher and hay grower Susy Pearce said this is her fourth year of dealing with the worsening phenomenon.
“The grasshopper infestation started in one direction, and they just migrated clear across the valley, so now, every year they’re further across the valley,” Pearce said. “The first couple of years they were so thick. The cattle would walk across the field with their eyes shut because they couldn’t see.”
The grasshoppers migrate great distances and can cause severe damage to rangeland and feed crops. “Now that they are spreading to other areas, it’s going to be a much bigger infestation,” Pearce said.
Thomas Getts, University of California Cooperative Extension weed ecology and cropping systems advisor in far Northern California, said some areas have faced consistent challenges as the insects have impacted irrigated pasture, grass-hay fields, clover and alfalfa.
He said there has been a lot of grasshopper activity the past few years in Lassen, Modoc, Sierra, Plumas and Siskiyou counties, and many people have lost a lot of forage.
“This is especially devastating with the drought and the crazy price of hay,” Getts said. “It has resulted in folks needing to either pony up and pay for feed, or in some cases, cut the numbers of animals.”
Pearce estimates damage from grasshoppers has reduced the local hay crop by about a third. “Once you mow, the rows become just full of the grasshoppers, and you bail them right up with the hay,” she said.
Damage by grasshoppers to hay and ground in Modoc County is “significant,” affecting 400,000 to 500,000 acres, said Laura Snell, UCCE livestock and natural resource advisor in Modoc County. In some places, she has counted 80 to 100 or 200 grasshoppers in a 1-foot square.
Amid “pretty dire drought circumstances” the past two years, Snell said, “those grasshoppers were given a chance to lay eggs.” As farmers run out of irrigation water this year, she said, “those grasshoppers are really hatching in pretty large numbers.”
Snell said some farmers lost up to 70% of their hay crop last year—as “grasshoppers eat a significant amount, considering how small they are.”
The grasshoppers and Mormon crickets have been reported in 17 western states, with severe infestations in drought-impacted eastern and central Oregon and far Northern California.
Modoc County rancher Herb Jasper, whose ranch is near the Oregon border, said the area has had “severe problems.”
“I don’t know of anybody in this area that has ever seen the grasshoppers as bad,” he said, adding, “We’ve had brown smears across the roads, and it was grasshoppers.
“They are just starting into the adult stage, and some are starting to fly, and believe me, it is no fun when you go through that. It’s pretty miserable.”
Jasper said because his pasture and hay ground was “pretty much mowed down” by the grasshoppers, he had to purchase supplemental feed, which remains in short supply.
“We put up round bales that we don’t sell but feed to our own cattle. The last cutting that we took in, some of those round bales turned black because of the grasshoppers,” Jasper said.
The problem was much more widespread last year. Snell said some ranchers had to buy $20,000 to $40,000 worth of additional hay in 2021 to make up what was affected by grasshoppers.
Jasper said the damage last year prompted him to sell off all his calves, “which we don’t normally do.”
“We didn’t keep any heifers for replacements, and that’s the first year we’ve ever done that,” Jasper said. “Insects are affecting our bottom line because of the cost for fuel, ground spraying and the aerial application. We don’t have our bill yet, but it is going to be between $15 and $20 an acre for the aerial spraying and then our own ground spraying on top of that.”
To control grasshoppers and prevent them from laying more eggs, many ranchers have applied pesticides. But Pearce, the Plumas County rancher, said the infestations will continue without widespread treatments.
“When the eggs hatch, there are hundreds,” Pearce said. “The application reduced the problem by 50% to 75%, but they’re still all over in the field and will continue to lay eggs.”
Modoc County rancher Sean Curtis, who works for Modoc County as a natural resources analyst, said a U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service program offers funding for suppressing rangeland grasshopper populations.
“Unlike neighboring Oregon and Nevada, which have APHIS environmental documents in place to spray on adjoining federal lands (where the eggs generally hatch), the California APHIS office gave up its grasshopper program some time ago,” Curtis said. “The Nevada (APHIS) office has offered to complete an environmental assessment document for California (APHIS), but it’s getting wrapped around the axle of the bureaucracy.”
USDA announced last year that it would treat 1.6 million acres of rangeland nationally with insecticide in hopes of curtailing the spread. Those in affected California counties are hopeful that a solution to suppress grasshoppers emerges soon.
“If they treat the federal lands, it protects the private lands,” Snell said, adding that more help may be available through the USDA Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. She suggested that affected producers keep good records to potentially apply for federal aid.
For now, Jasper said, “We’re limited financially with what we can do.
“All I’m looking for is to get some help here and recognizing that it is a widespread problem,” he said. “It’s not just locally on one ranch; it’s spread all over.”
(Christine Souza is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at csouza@cfbf.com.)



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OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced a settlement with the United States Postal Service (USPS) to prevent the delivery of illegal cigarettes to residents of California. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed by California and New York City, and later joined by Illinois, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, alleging that USPS knowingly accepted and transmitted packages through domestic mail that it had reasonable cause to believe contained cigarettes or smokeless tobacco, in violation of the non-mailability provision of the Prevent All Cigarettes Trafficking (PACT) Act. Today's settlement includes a number of provisions that will enhance USPS' ability to identify and remove illicit cigarette packages from the mail stream.
“For too long, the Postal Service has allowed international smugglers to evade the law and send contraband cigarettes into California,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Today’s settlement will finally make these packages undeliverable through new policies to identify and prevent the delivery of these harmful products.” 
Smoking is the number one preventable killer in the United States, resulting in more deaths than the number of people who die from alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murder, and suicides — combined. The PACT Act was established to reduce youth smoking, curtail the flow of tax-evading contraband cigarettes, create strong disincentives to illegal smuggling of tobacco products, and provide government officials with more effective tools to combat tobacco smuggling.  
The California Department of Justice, alongside state and local officials, consistently reported to USPS that cigarettes enter domestic mail through the international mail stream. In the complaint, the California Department of Justice and other plaintiffs allege that USPS was aware of these illicit deliveries and failed to stop them in violation of the PACT Act.
As part of today’s settlement, USPS will adopt a number of measures to ensure the transport and delivery of illicit cigarettes are prevented in the future, including:

• Improving training for its workforce: USPS will develop training to help employees identify and remove illicit cigarettes from the U.S. mail stream.
• Ending its “return to sender” program: USPS will abandon its previous “return to sender” policy, which allowed illicit cigarette packages to be delivered or returned to the original sender to be re-mailed at a later date.
• Engaging in cooperative information sharing: USPS will engage in cooperative information sharing and compliance planning with the states and New York City to assist in investigations and remove illicit cigarettes from the U.S. mail stream.

A copy of the settlement, which is subject to court approval, is available here.

 
 
People v. Jennifer Leigh Cox  (22CR0024)
 
On June 10, 2022, Jennifer Leigh Cox of Loyalton, was convicted of violating Penal Code section 503, embezzlement, a misdemeanor.  She was ordered to serve 2 days in jail, pay a fine of $235.00, and pay restitution to Leonard’s Market in the amount of $255.10
 
People v. Daniel Barajassolis (22CR0088)
 
On June 21, 2022, Daniel Barajassolis, of Nevada, was convicted of violating Vehicle Code setion14601.1 driving without a license, an infraction  He was ordered to pay a fine of $664.00.
 
People v. Jose Angel Maturin Aguilar (22CR0013)
           
On June 21, 2022, Jose Angel Maturin Aguilar of Nevada, was convicted of violation Penal Code section 243€ (1), battery on a former spouse, a misdemeanor.  He was placed on 1 year probation, ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $700 and have no contact with the victim.
 
People v.Christopher Sean Dorsey (22CR0016)
On July 6, 2022, Christopher Sean Dorsey was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 23152, driving under the influence.  He was placed on 3 years probation, ordered to spend 48 hours in jail, pay a fine of $1,860.00 and take a DUI class.
 
People v. Thomas Joseph Remington (19CR4080)
 
On July 19, 2022, Thomas Joseph Remington of Portola, was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 23125(f) driving under the influence of a controlled substance.  He was placed on 3 years probation, ordered to spend 172 days in jail, and pay a fine of $390.00.
 
People v. Douglas Anthony Peterman (21CR0107)
 
On July 21, 2022, Douglas Anthony Peterman of Sierra City, was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 23103.5, a wet reckless.  He was placed on 1 year probation, ordered to spend 1 day in jail, pay a fine of $1,409.00 and attend a DUI class.
 
People v. Rebecca Joy Cox (22CR0019)
 
On July 21, 2022, Rebecca Joy Cox of Loyalton, was convicted of violating Penal Code section 503, embezzlement, a misdemeanor.  She was ordered to spend 10 days in jail, placed on 1year probation pay a fine of $235.00 and pay restitution to Leonard’s Market in the amount of $369.83.
 
 
 
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Josh and Lindsay Hall Named Recipient of Tahoe Forest Health System Foundation’s Spirit of Giving Award
www.tfhd.com


 (Tahoe/Truckee, Calif.) –  Josh and Lindsay Hall were presented with the prestigious 2022 Spirit of Giving Award at a Lakefront ceremony on Tuesday, July 26. The Spirit of Giving Award, named for Tom & Pam Hobday, is bestowed to individuals who demonstrate extraordinary dedication to the enrichment of healthcare in our community.  Past Spirit of Giving Award recipients include: Tom & Pam Hobday, 2007; Randy Hill, 2009; Patti & Gary Boxeth, 2010; Billy McCullough, 2013; and Karen Sessler, MD, 2017.
Shortly after the stillbirth of their daughter, Annalise King Hall, the Hall family started a fund to help families facing this same kind of profound loss by pioneering a supportive fetal demise program. “The Hall family’s ability to transform tragedy into triumph is truly second to none. Because of their generosity and dedication, many lives have been positively impacted in the name of Annalise, and the Joseph Family Center for Women and Newborn Care team is better equipped with lifesaving equipment, technology, and training,” said Karli Epstein, Executive Director for the Tahoe Forest Health System Foundation.
Since establishing the Annalise King Hall Fund, it has provided:

• Bereavement training to nurses so that they are better equipped to support families after a loss
• A mother’s milk bank to bring human milk to babies when absolutely critical situations arise
• Cuddle cots, giving grieving parents an opportunity to bond with their babies
• Memorial wind chimes to mourning families giving comfort and remembrance
• Comfort kits to families who have experienced a stillbirth or a miscarriage
• Advanced fetal monitors for tracking rate and rhythm of fetal heartbeats
• A neonatal resuscitation device, ensuring our clinical team has the best training equipment

Josh and Lindsay Hall model the kind of impact that philanthropy and passion can have on an entire community, and truly embody the Spirit of Giving.
For more information on the Tahoe Forest Health System Foundation, or to make a gift to the Annalise King Hall Fund please visit to www.tfhd.com/giving.
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About Tahoe Forest Health System
Tahoe Forest Health System, which includes Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee, CA, and Incline Village Community Hospital in Incline Village, NV, offers 24-hour emergency care, urgent care, primary and specialty health care clinics including Tahoe Forest Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Commission on Cancer (COC) accredited cancer center, the Gene Upshaw Memorial Tahoe Forest Cancer Center, and the Joseph Family Center for Women and Newborn Care. With a strong focus on high quality patient care, community collaboration, clinical excellence and innovation, Tahoe Forest Health System is a UC Davis Rural Center of Excellence. For a complete list of physician specialties and services, visit www.tfhd.com.



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by


James D. Veltmeyer, MD


With Senile Joe Biden’s trillion-dollar “Build Back Better” socialist green energy scheme facing an uncertain fate in the U.S. Senate, Biden is now threatening to pull a Barack Obama and enact this radical economy-destroying plan without congressional support. Remember Obama’s famous “I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone” declaration that he could bypass Congress anytime he wanted and essentially rule by decree? It seems as if Obama is still pulling the strings at the Biden-occupied White House.
What Obama was referring to at the time was his willingness to abuse the so-called presidential Executive Order ( EO ) to enact by fiat what he could not get through the Congress. Yet, Article I of the U.S. Constitution clearly states that “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress…” The Constitution also clearly delineates three separate but equal branches of government and the powers assigned to each. There is no mention in that document of Executive Orders, Presidential Decision Directives ( PDDs ), presidential signing statements or any other method by which the Executive can defy the legislative powers of Congress and act, essentially, as a dictator.
Indeed, in Federalist #47, James Madison warned that “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”
Executive Orders themselves were relatively uncommon in the early days of the republic. George Washington issued just eight and Thomas Jefferson a paltry four in his eight years in office. The original purpose of the Executive Order was really administrative in nature only, directives to government agencies and bureaus regarding the proper implementation of laws passed by Congress. That purpose has been completely overridden in our modern times, where Presidents use the EO to enact laws themselves. In 1952, at the height of the Korean War, President Truman tried to seize the nation’s privately-owned steel mills, only to have his Executive Order struck down by the Supreme Court. Justice Hugo Black in Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer stated that an EO “must stem either from an Act of Congress or from the Constitution itself,” and said such an order is on dubious ground if it’s “incompatible with the express or implied will of Congress.”
Of course, Truman was just following in the footsteps of his “progressive” Democrat predecessors Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt who, together, issued a whopping 5,300 Executive Orders during their presidencies. It got so bad during FDR’s tenure that humorist Will Rogers said “Congress doesn’t make laws anymore, they just wave at the bills as they go by.”
Barack Obama, most clearly of recent Presidents, pushed the envelope on what he tried to foist on the nation through Executive Orders. DACA, for example, which granted blanket immunity for a million illegal aliens and which he had sworn up and down for months prior that he had no power to issue unilaterally. He went ahead and did it anyway and that was struck down by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in July 2021. He also sought to enact “cap and trade” through an EO when Congress refused its consent, imposing crippling environmental regulations on the nation’s economy by using the Environmental Protection Agency to make its own rules through the Clean Air Act. Recently, the Supreme Court slapped down on this type of bureaucratic law-making hard, ruling unconstitutional the EPA’s efforts to enforce environmental rules without congressional legislation. Obama also signed other Executive Orders granting the federal government massive new powers over the economy and allowing the White House to seize control and even shut down any telecommunications station in the country.
These type of actions are not reflective of a “democracy,” but of a dictatorship and Braindead Biden is only too happy to scribble his name on any new Executive Order his Marxist courtiers place before him. In his first two weeks in office, he signed an unprecedented number of EOs – 47 – which is nearly as many as Presidents Trump and Obama did in the same period, combined. That number has now climbed to 84 Executive Orders and 64 presidential memoranda. Some of Biden’s America-destroying  EOs include:
1.     Funding abortions in foreign countries
2.     Cancelling the congressionally-approved Keystone Pipeline
3.     Shutting down oil drilling on all federal lands, including ANWAR in Alaska
4.     Letting boys into girls’ locker rooms
5.     Allowing violent terrorist immigrants into the United States
6.     Reactivating the catastrophic Paris Climate Accords
7.     Mandating COVID vaccinations for large businesses
8.     Forcing mask mandates on airline travelers
9.     Stopping the building of Trump’s border wall
10. Counting illegal aliens in the Census
11. Increasing federal meddling in elections to favor the Democrats
How many of these decrees would have made it through a Congress barely controlled by members of his own party? Very few, if any. So, what’s the difference, just enact them anyway and let things drag out in the courts for months or years, while the damage on the nation is already inflicted. The Democrats seem to have endless ways of forcing their Marxist ideology down the throats of the American people without the approval of the people’s representatives in Congress. For decades, they just used the federal courts stacked with activist judges appointed by far left Presidents like Obama. Now, that President Trump’s appointees have shifted the courts rightward, they just pull the Executive Order out of their bag of tricks and continue on their merry way.
The Democrat Party shouts “democracy” at every opportunity, but every action they take is profoundly and fundamentally anti-democratic. As a party, they distrust the people, they distrust the separation of powers, they distrust the Constitution, they distrust anyone and anything that limits them in their crazed lust for totalitarian control over our lives. The use of the Executive Order needs to be permanently restricted – by congressional legislation or constitutional amendment if needed—to deny the Democrats one of their most powerful tools for tyranny.


Dr. James Veltmeyer is a prominent La Jolla physician and author of “Physician on a Mission: Dr. Veltmeyer’s RX to Save America.”He was voted "Top Doctor" in San Diego County in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2019.  Dr. Veltmeyer can be reached at dr.jamesveltmeyer@protonmail.com and by visiting his website at drveltmeyer.com
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On July 29, 2022, at approximately 1728 hours, Nathanial Smotrys, 18, from Garden Grove, CA, was driving a 2005 GMC Sierra, northbound SR-89, south of Sierraville.  Smotrys had one passenger inside his vehicle.  Stephen Reikes, 54, from Livermore, CA was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado, southbound SR-89, south of Sierraville. There were two passengers with Reikes in his vehicle.  
 
While driving, Smotrys fell asleep and drove into the southbound lane.  Reikes came around a blind curve and observed the other vehicle completely in his lane.  Reikes swerved into the northbound lane in an attempt to avoid the collision.  Smotrys woke up and realized his mistake.  Smotrys then swerved back into the northbound lane and both vehicle’s collided head on.  Both vehicles rolled to the low side of the road and came to rest against a rock wall on the east side of SR-89.  Multiple good Samaritans and off-duty law enforcement/medical personnel assisted the parties until Sierraville Fire arrived on scene.  USFS and Truckee Fire also responded to the scene and assisted with the injured parties.  5 of the 6 parties involved in the collision were transported to Renown Medical Center via multiple helicopters for serious injuries.  
 
Both directions of the SR-89 were closed for approximately 1 hours to facilitate the on-scene collision investigation. 
 
If any member of the public has information regarding this incident, they are encouraged to contact the California Highway Patrol at (530) 252-1900.
 

Dr. Glenn Mollette 


What or who is important to you? The recent devastating flood in eastern Kentucky reminds us all that life can be swept away in a moment. Hundreds of families lost everything. One family lost their house and everything in it but lost their family – four children ages less than two up through eight were swept away by the raging flood. One woman who had also lost her house and everything in the house stated she and her family were alive and that’s all that mattered. 


None of us want to lose our houses and everything we’ve worked for most of our lives. However, it’s all junk in comparison to our children and loved ones. 


From the fires of California to the floods of eastern Kentucky to the devastation of Ukraine by Russia, Loss and devastation can come to us all. We don’t want loss. We recoil from natural disasters, invaders or diminishing health. 


It takes a lifetime to pay for a house. Today, cars are often financed five years and more. People work hard to accumulate a few things. Little children, spouses and aging parents are not easy to come by. Most of the time we take everything we have for granted. When the floods of life literally wash away all that we have and love, the loss is horrific. 


We really don’t know the full extent of how painful loss is until we have lost it all. Recent flood victims in eastern Kentucky essentially lost it all. Many literally escaped with only the shirts on their backs. 


Cancer can eat away at our lives. Other forms of diminishing health can take us down to nothing. Financial losses can make us miserable. A fire can destroy everything. Life can change and in a moment. 


Sometimes we have warnings that life is on the way to changing. When it rains, we don’t automatically think the water will become so deep that we will all drown. Some people in eastern Kentucky will never be able to enjoy a long night of rain because of what it may bring. 


Overall, people would like to live out their lives quietly and safely. Avoiding floods, fires and other life-threatening crises. Food to eat, something to wear and the enjoyment of people we love are most meaningful to us. 


In the middle of life’s devastations, we often look to God and ask why? If he is really so great, so good, and so loving then why would he send or allow eight or nine inches of rain to fall on the hollers of eastern Kentucky and sweep away little children? Did he go to sleep? Does he not care?  Is he detached from what happens in the world? Is he really out there?  Yet, as many grieve, they will fall upon God as he is all they have left to get them through. An old saint of God who suffered through the storms of life once said, “I didn’t realize God was all I needed until God was all I had. 


Whatever or whoever you have today, don’t take it or them for granted. Be grateful, give thanks. Love on your loved ones and be kind to all. Consider taking some of your stuff and giving it to someone who may have nothing. It will be good for you both. 


ear Dr. Glenn Mollette each weekday morning at 8:56 and 10:11:30 AM EST.


Additional info if needed.....
  
Contact him at GMollette@aol.com. Learn more at www.glennmollette.com  
   additional biographical, Dr. Glenn Mollette is a graduate of numerous schools including Georgetown College, Southern and Lexington Seminaries in Kentucky. He is the author of 13 books including Uncommon Sense, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states. 

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