We need to show new voters how to exercise their most
important right and their most profound responsibility


WASHINGTON, DC, Sep 30 - There was some distressing news from Gallup earlier this week.  Voters will be staying home in droves this year, according to the polling organization. 


Dan Weber, president of the Association of Mature American, says that it is not a good thing.  "You'd think that with all of the hoopla surrounding the 2016 Presidential Elections, voters would be particularly energized this year.   But Gallup says that its survey shows only 69% of the electorate say they will definitely exercise their right to vote come November.  In fact, an astounding 72% of respondents in its poll say they really haven't given much thought to the election."


Weber warns that by not casting their ballots those non-voters are, in effect, opting for the candidates proposed by the "other party."  He says it also diminishes our respect for good government, undermines our representative democracy and makes us weaker as a nation.  In addition, he adds, elections are meant to unify the country by allowing all eligible voters to have their say in who shall lead them and by not voting we create a deeper divide.


"This year, more Americans want a change in the direction our country has taken in recent years.  They want to take back their ability to control their lives as our forebears did in the good old days when the Constitution was considered an inviolable document that made our democracy the envy of the world.  Voter apathy is a threat to all of that."


It has been reported that young Millennials and their immediate predecessors who were called Generation X constitute the largest voting bloc in the U.S., having taken over the spotlight from Baby Boomers.  But the Gallup poll indicates that only 47% of younger voters say they will definitely get out and vote in 2016, down from 58% in 2012.


Thus, Weber says, older Americans can still lead the way by example and he is calling on the members of his influential senior advocacy organization to do all they can to invigorate the nation this November. 


"AMAC was founded by a membership determined to make a difference, activists who believe that all is not yet lost.  We need to get out the vote.  We need to urge our voting age family members and friends to prove that the graying of America, where 10,000 of us turn 65 years of age each day, is a good thing.  Perhaps it will also show new voters how to exercise their most important right and their most profound responsibility.  One thing's for sure, it will also show the world that the U.S. is not in decline; that we are on the rise again." 


ABOUT AMAC
The Association of Mature American Citizens [http://www.amac.us] is a vibrant, vital senior advocacy organization that takes its marching orders from its members.  We act and speak on their behalf, protecting their interests and offering a practical insight on how to best solve the problems they face today.  Live long and make a difference by joining us today at http://amac.us/join-amac.


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A CANDIDATES’ FORUM for Loyalton City Council was held on Monday, September 26th at the Loyalton Social Hall. The moderator for the evening was Attorney Tom Archer of Sierraville and after allowing each of the candidates to give an opening statement he asked them to describe themselves with one word or a short phrase. Krystin Gallegos who graduated from Loyalton High School in 2005, studied political science at Loyola University and worked with Senator Diane Feinstein described herself as ambitious. Genelle Wagnitz who has lived here 13 years with her two daughters said she was honest. Incumbent Brooks Mitchell who was born and raised in Loyalton, said he was concerned and willing to work hard. Nancy Rogers moved here five years ago to be closer to family. She described herself as caring. Jason Van Daam graduated from Loyalton High in 1991 and said he was outspoken. Carla Lopez is a 1993 Loyalton graduate and described herself as loyal. Sheri Graham was the only candidate absent from the forum.
Archer questioned the candidates on City transparency, budget, CalPERS, bringing in new businesses, trailer park, and how to improve community spirit.
Carla didn’t feel the City had been transparent and felt the council has been divided. Regarding the City budget, Carla felt it should go “old school” to see where everything was going and thought with the right panel it could be done. Carla didn’t   know all about CalPERS but said it was definitely important and stated those people need their retirement. Under questions about how to bring more businesses to Loyalton, Carla said businesses in Loyalton are struggling to make it and felt until the City can bring in revenue to survive, she didn’t see any new businesses coming.
Carla would like to see the trailer park become part of the City and would like to see it cleaned up. She thought more rules applied would help people become accountable. She said the trailer park doesn’t’ give Loyalton a good feeling when coming into town from that side. To bring about more community spirit, Carla felt the community was wonderful in time of tragedies, but need to come together in other ways. She said there needed to be more activities for kids.
Jason said transparency is “pretty big”, and felt there was a big need. He said there should be more community involvement, with no special meetings at noon. He stated there were too many secrets. Under question about the budget, Jason felt the City needed a new system so they can control proper procedure. He said it wouldn’t get grants if the City can’t spend money the way it is supposed to. Regarding CalPERS, Jason said they need to take care of their employees and their retirement. He felt there were a lot of meetings that nobody knows about and didn’t want the City to go into bankruptcy. Jason likened the trailer park to having the “wild west in our community.” He lives right next to the trailer park, and said the criminal element was not good and people aren’t paying rent, adding it was one of the worst things he has seen. Jason hopes for a quick sale and to have real management. To improve community spirit, Jason thought they should do something for Loyalton to bring something to Loyalton, adding they need to work on the bicyclists, calling them “healthy people with healthy minds.”
Nancy was not familiar with the Brown Act, and thought the City wasn’t working as a unit, only working as individuals and would like to see that change. Regarding the budget, Nancy felt the City was taking money from other places and didn’t see it being replaced. She gave an example where the City was taking from the general fund to support the museum. Nancy felt donations should go toward the museum instead of taking from the general fund. From the audience, curator Jackie Mitchell, said she doesn’t make any money on the museum and hasn’t spent any from the general fund, adding money is sent to the City for the museum from donors. Nancy agreed with the rest of the candidates regarding CalPERS that they need to protect the people and their retirement. She said the City needed to find a way to get the retirement employees have worked their lives for. To bring in more businesses, Nancy said she and her brother bought Timberline Auto Parts and felt they were receiving a lot more business than before and getting customers from all over. She said she supports the businesses here. Regarding the trailer park, Nancy would like to see the State step in and make many of the trailers livable, and felt they needed to bring some type of management in there. To improve community spirit, Nancy said the City has a very lovely stage that doesn’t get used. She has a lot of expertise with concert set up and thought that would be a good start.
Brooks thought a monthly newsletter would help improve transparency, adding the City doesn’t have very good attendance at meetings and would like to improve on this if re-elected. Regarding the budget, Brooks said they need to be spend thrifty. He said there were about six different general fund monies to cover, which includes the fire department, museum, park, and graveyard. He stated the City doesn’t have the revenue source with the population drop. Brooks said Loyalton is a small city with not a whole lot of expertise and stated volunteers were the best thing going for the City. During the CalPERS discussion, Brooks said most meetings have been done in closed session and stated the City is in the process with CalPERS to come up with a payment plan. He stated there were lawyer negotiations going on, to try to negotiate the settlement, adding they were not trying to hide anything. Archer told the audience it was not uncommon for closed sessions with potential litigation. Brooks stressed that the City protects its employees 100%, adding they are not going to hang anybody out without retirement. To bring new businesses here, Brooks said East Sierra Valley Chamber of Commerce is working with different parts of the community and a new bed and breakfast business was just purchased. He said there were other potential businesses but hard to do with out the economic base here. Brooks stated improvements to the museum have tripled the traffic. He said the City would like the trailer park problem solved. Brooks stated it owes over $200,000 and hasn’t received payment in over a year. He said they tried to shut the water off, but with elderly and young children there, he felt their hands were tied. He was hoping the State would help, adding everyone who lives in Loyalton knows that park is not worth $260,000. Brooks said they were giving $5,000 a month away in water. To improve community spirit, Brooks thinks the Eastern Chamber does a good job as does Rotary, and the school, adding different functions come together to move in the right direction. He concluded that it takes money to make money and the City is very low on money.
Genelle agreed with everyone regarding transparency and felt updating the system, would give the City more accountability with the budget. She didn’t know all the issues going on with CalPERS, but felt it was important they get it settled. Regarding bringing businesses here, she has seen the repercussions from the bicycles and they spend a lot of money in Loyalton. Genelle felt they needed to give a little to get something back and wanted events. She said Loyalton used to have street dances and Timberfest and stressed the need to bring people from the outside in. Genelle called the trailer park a “nightmare.” She said it used to be a nice place,  and now it was awful. Genelle stated a lot of people couldn’t afford a lot of rent and would like to see low income housing which she said went by income and is State run. Genelle didn’t have an answer to community spirit as she doesn’t feel very welcome sometimes, so couldn’t imagine how someone outside the community would feel. She did add the need to put energy in to the youth.
Krystin felt they should reach out to the younger community members with Facebook to help make the City more transparent. She called CalPERS “very complicated and unfortunate.” Krystin said a court date was set and best thing they could do is to work together. Regarding bringing in more business, Krystin said they must support local businesses first and maybe talk to some businesses in Truckee to see if they want to branch out this way. She said the trailer park is very dear to her heart as her grandparents and mom live there and she was raised there. Krystin stated they should do whatever they could to find a solution, adding there are businesses that buy trailer parks to refurbish. To improve community spirit Krystin said to talk to the kids and reach out to people to see what their ideas are.
From the audience, City Councilmember Pat Whitley told the candidates that there weren’t a lot of places to build and asked how they would find a way to increase the tax base, so the City has more funding. Brooks said they would have to get to a mutual agreement with the County, adding the County didn’t want to lose the revenue either. Janelle suggested having a ranch bring in a pumpkin patch. Nancy didn’t know much about it but felt the co-gen area would be good to have. Krystin sees a lot of empty lots and old houses that could be bought with new people coming in. Jason said they needed the mill property and taxes from the apartments. He stated the County was robbing them and have been doing it for a long time. Carla said to get a hold of the land that isn’t being utilized and use that.
Don Russell, from the audience, asked the panel how they would educate themselves to be ready to govern. Carla would go to the city and look up records. Jason said by going to the meetings and asking a lot of questions and learning the proper procedure. Nancy would have to go back to see how all these problems started. Janelle would educate herself and Krystin said attend meetings, and research at the library and internet. Archer asked Brooks if the City of Loyalton supports its new council persons to go to governance classes. Brooks said the City is more than willing for new council members to go to those classes.
Don Russsell also asked how the candidates would be personally accountable. Krystin believes everyone needs to be honest and have integrity. She said there was no problem with admitting to being wrong, but if you make a mistake, own up to it. Genelle said you should be accountable for everything you do in your life. Brooks stated the city council votes as a whole not to pick out one person to say you did something wrong. Nancy said to stand up and be honest. Jason stated to get more people involved and watching. Carla will hold herself accountable to do her very best and will stick to what she believes.


Audience member Phyllis DeMartini asked if the candidates were all willing to devote the time that is more than $49.50 a month worth. She said it is a volunteer job and takes a lot of time. Phyllis asked if they were going to have to have the time to devote, adding it is a lot of work, and hoped they all realize the commitment. They all responded that they did.
In conclusion of the evening, Mayor Mark Marin gave all the candidates a warm welcome by stating they would step into office with a hell of a lot more problems than they could all imagine.

When Californians cast their ballots for the November
8 election, they will decide the fate of 228 local tax
measures representing a cumulative tax increase of
more than $3 billion per year, along with 193 bonds that would
dramatically increase annual property taxes.
These local measures are in addition to the 17 statewide measures
that represent another $5.3 billion to $10.6 billion in potential
annual tax increases, according to the state’s fiscal estimates.
The 180 school bonds (totaling $24.63 billion) and 13 bonds for
other uses (totaling $7.27 billion), if approved and issued, will have
to be repaid – with significant interest – through higher annual
property taxes.
Voters in 50 of California’s 58 counties will see at least one local
tax or bond measure on the November ballot.
While local governments traditionally put more tax and bond
measures on the ballot during presidential election years, the
November 2016 election could be a historic record. The total of
86 sales tax measures on the ballot in this election is dramatically
higher than the 46 decided in both the primary and general
elections of 2012.
In addition to supporting local governments, local taxes have a
significant impact on the cost of living, and influence taxpayers’
decisions about where to live, shop, start a business or expand an
existing business.
The California Taxpayers Association has been monitoring local
taxes since its establishment 90 years ago, as part of its mission to
keep taxpayers informed.
ABOUT THIS ELECTION
Proposed Annual Tax Increase: OVER $3 BILLION
NOVEMBER 2016 LOCAL TAX AND BOND MEASURES
A report by the California Taxpayers Association
Number of Tax & Bond Measures Appearing on the Ballot: 421 IN 50 COUNTIES

• “Winds Thursday-Saturday -- We continue to expect an increase in south/southwest winds starting Thursday with valley gusts 25-30 mph, 30-40 mph Friday, and west/northwest 25-30 mph Saturday. These winds are not super strong but will still create areas of critical fire weather conditions each day with Friday having the highest risk. With vegetation still really dry be prepared for new fire starts to spread rapidly. Also the usual wind prone highways will see impacts, plus turbulence and wind shear for flying. I've noticed that sometimes these marginally windy days can have strong turbulence due to sudden directional and speed shifts.
• Weekend Cold -- We'll see a solid push of cold air into the region starting this weekend lasting into early next week with the coldest readings likely Monday. Some of our simulations show highs only in the 50s for W Nevada with potential for widespread valley freezes Tuesday morning. Be prepared to protect sensitive vegetation and irrigation systems if the cold forecast holds, especially if you're in a rural and typically cold valley location (e.g. Minden, Spanish Springs). People outdoors this weekend into Monday/Tuesday will want to plan for colder conditions, especially with an increased risk of mountain snow. And with that......
• Increasing Mountain Snow Potential Sunday-Monday -- Our most recent simulations are showing a weak atmospheric river "filament" coming into N California Sunday late afternoon into early Monday morning, which would set the stage for a period of mountain light snow in the Tahoe, N Sierra, and NE California regions and rain showers in the valleys even into W Nevada. Some simulations are further south with the impacts -- Mammoth? Our forecast confidence overall is low-medium so don't bank on these scenarios yet! However since this would be the first snow of the season for passes and maybe down to Lake Tahoe elevations and hitting in the evening/overnight Sunday-Monday, there could be enhanced travel impacts for the Sierra pass roads including I-80 and Hwy 50 and points north. Specific snow amounts you ask? Good luck with that this far out, but right now it would probably be on the light side of the Sierra storm spectrum. Quick hitting too, maybe 3-6 hours of light snow. We'll keep you updated on this potential -- forecast changes are likely in the coming days but I wanted to provide this heads up.

 
Right now we're expecting a gradual warm up the balance of next week as high pressure slowly oozes back into the region. “
 ​

 
 
Redding – Hammond, Indiana Police Department SWAT team members along with other law enforcement officers in East Chicago, Indiana arrested Freddie Alexander Smoke III, 39, of East Chicago, Indiana this morning without incident.


On July 11, 2014 at approximately 10 p.m. CAL FIRE law enforcement officers arrested Freddie Alexander Smoke III for allegedly starting the Bully Fire which burned 12,661 acres near the community of Ono in Shasta County. Officers believe that Smoke was operating a large rental truck to deliver soil amendments to an illegal marijuana cultivation site in the area of Roaring Creek Road and Sargent Road.


A civilian fatality, later identified by the Shasta County Coroner’s Office as Jesus Arellano Garcia, age 35 of Michoacán, Mexico, was discovered within the fire’s perimeter on July 16, 2014. The Shasta County District Attorney’s office filed additional felony charges against Smoke on July 22, 2014. These additional charges included involuntary manslaughter and a felony arrest warrant was issued with a $1,000,000 bail. Smoke had been released from the Shasta County Jail shortly following his arrest, after posting bail, and failed to appear in court to face these additional charges.


As part of CAL FIRE’s fire prevention efforts, officers work diligently to investigate the origin and cause of all types of fires.  CAL FIRE is committed to holding those responsible who threaten the safety of the public. CAL FIRE law enforcement officers, with multiple cooperating agencies, have been actively pursuing leads regarding Smoke’s whereabouts. The investigation and arrest was aided by the United States Postal Inspectors, United States Marshals Service, East Chicago Police Department Narcotics Division, Shasta County Sherriff’s Office, and Shasta County Marijuana Eradication Team (MET).




“I’m proud of CAL FIRE’s law enforcement officers and all of the agencies involved, they have done an outstanding job”, said Chief Mike Hebrard, CAL FIRE Unit Chief and Shasta County Fire Warden. “A lot of time and energy has been invested into this investigation by many entities and we look forward to continuing to work with the District Attorney’s Office on this ongoing criminal case.”


Freddie Alexander Smoke III awaits extradition to Shasta County. Additional information regarding this ongoing criminal matter will be handled by the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office.

 
QUINCY, California – September 27, 2016 - 3:00pm – The 375 Tobin Fire continues to hold on Tobin Ridge on the upper slopes of the north face of the Feather River Canyon above CA HWY 70 near Tobin. Fire spread is primarily lateral or along the sides or flanks of the fire.
Hwy 70 is currently open as are area campgrounds and businesses. Drivers should be alert for increased fire vehicle traffic in the area.
There is a temporary flight restriction (TFR) over the area; drone use is prohibited.
The fire was detected yesterday, September 26, at 9:30am. Air resources, including air tankers and helicopters, hit the fire hard yesterday to support ground resources, hotshot crews, engines, and dozers. Air attack resumed early this morning.
Today, active fire behavior is occurring with short-range spotting and uphill runs in heavy dead and down fuels from the previous 2000 Storrie and 2008 Canyon Complex Fires.
Legal location of fire start is Township 24, Range 6E, Section 17. The fire is located in the Feather River Canyon north of Hwy 70 to Tobin Ridge, east of Rock Creek and west of Jackass Creek.
A Type 2 Incident Management Team is in the process of transitioning with existing fire resources and will take command of the fire at 6:00 tomorrow morning. Fire teams supplement local fire resources during emergencies.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
For more information visit the website, http://inciweb.nwcg.gov, “Tobin Fire.”

On Sept. 24 at approximately 1555 hour, CHP dispatch in Truckee received a call of a traffic collision with a motorcycle down.on I-80 westbound, west of Overland Trail. Upon arrival of medical personnel and law enforcement it was determined that a motorcycle rider was riding his 2009 Harley Davidson motorcycle on I-80 westbound, west of Overland Trail. When for reasons still under investigation, another group of motorcycle riders opened fire upon the rider striking him multiple times. The suspects fled the scene of the shooting on their motorcycles continuing on I-80 westbound.
Any persons wishing information regarding this incident, or any witnesses to the incident itself, are encouraged to call CHP Truckee at (530) 582-7500.

 
Terry Meyers (46) Graeagle.  Driving while suspended.  Thirty-six months probations, fine $1469.
 
William Berky (74) Vallejo.  Driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or above. He was sentenced to three years probation, ordered to do 48 hour jail, fined $2445, and he must complete alcohol school.
 
David Stanesic (33) Reno. Illegal campfire.  Fine $562.
 
Lucas Maberry (41) Reno.  Illegal campfire.  Fine $562.
 
Joshua Dewey (26) Portola.  Vandalism by breaking a window.  Eighteen months probation, fine $562.
 
Kristrie DeBerg (43) Loyalton.  Violation of probation for possession of contraband in re-hab.  Sixty days jail, probation re-instated.
 
Valerie Robertson (59) Loyalton.  Sentencing after admitting a violation of probation for using methamphetamine and not contacting probation.  Forty days jail, probation re-instated.
 
Tanya Steward (48) Sierra City. Sentencing on conviction for resisting an officer with force, and battery on a peace officer.  Five years probation, 157 days jail, and a fine $1435.
 
Casey McFarland (42) Downieville.  Violation of probation for use of alcohol.  Thirty days jail, and thirty days in residential re-hab.
 
 
Gabriel Sanchez-Radillo (36) Red Bluff and Efrain Valencia (34) Yakima WA.  Both pled guilty to possession of marijuana for sale and possession and transport of a hazardous waste. This matter arose from two illegal marijuana grows east of Loyalton.
 
Luis Chabarin-Ramos (22) Stockton and Jose Palomera-Lopez (21) Corning.  Both pled guilty to possession for sale of marijuana and illegal stream diversion.  These charges arose out of an illegal marijuana grow south of Sierraville.
 
Heather Dudek (32) Grass Valley.  Violation of probation for failure to pay fine for possession of a meth pipe, and failure to appear.  Sentenced to ten days in jail.
 

A report issued today by a U.S. Senate committee documents how federal agencies overreach their authority to regulate farmland, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation, which said the report underlines the need for congressional action to reform the agencies’ practices.


The report from the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee describes numerous incidents in which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Environmental Protection Agency have tried to expand their authority to regulate what crops farmers grow and how they grow them, based on the agencies’ interpretation of the Clean Water Act.


“A disturbing number of the cases described in the Senate report came from California,” CFBF President Paul Wenger said. “Farmers and ranchers here have seen firsthand that the abuses outlined in this report aren’t theoretical—they’re real.”


Landowners’ concerns stem from a rule the agencies finalized last year, known as the “waters of the United States” or WOTUS rule, which would bring more waterways under jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act. Although a federal court has temporarily halted enforcement of the WOTUS rule, landowners and their representatives say the Corps continues to enforce the act so narrowly that, as a practical matter, its actions mirror the intent of the new rule.


“We’re grateful the Senate committee has highlighted the impact on farmers and ranchers caused by overzealous interpretation of the Clean Water Act,” Wenger said. “Farmers and ranchers want to do the right thing and protect the environment as they farm. But they shouldn’t be tied up in knots by regulators for simply plowing their ground or considering a new crop on their land, and they shouldn’t have their land declared off limits if they must leave it idle due to drought or other conditions beyond their control.”


Wenger called on California’s two senators to join efforts to clarify Clean Water Act enforcement and reform agency practices.


“Congress has the ability to restore balance to Clean Water Act enforcement,” he said. “We urge our California members to help farmers grow food and protect the environment, free from fear of overreaching regulation.”


The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of more than 53,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 6.2 million Farm Bureau members.

​ARRESTED on September 16th at approximately 12:21 PM by sheriff’s office personnel in conjunction with members of the Sierra County Probation Department, Fish & Wildlife and California Highway Patrol were Paula Sylvestri, 53,  of Sierraville, booked on the charge of attempted homicide, held without bail in the Nevada County Jail and Michael Sylvestri, 59, of Sierraville, booked on the charge of accessory of attempted homicide and is also being held without bail in the Nevada County Jail. . 
A court date has not been set at this time.
The above agencies responded to the 300 Block of First St. Loyalton, for a reported Assault w/ Deadly Weapon. The sheriff’s office received a 911 call from a witness stating a woman came from a residence with a head injury. The injured person stated to the 911 caller a relative hit her in the head with a hammer. The injured woman was transported to a Reno hospital via helicopter. The victim was treated for her injuries and was expected to be released later this evening.
Upon investigation the two individuals were arrested in connection with the attack.
*This is currently an ongoing investigation,* according to Sierra County Sheriff Tim Standley.

Caltrans and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) remind motorists to remain alert for wildlife on roadways during Watch Out for Wildlife Week, which runs September 18-24.
"We urge motorists to remain alert and be cautious when traveling through wildlife areas, so our roadways will remain as safe as possible. Drivers can really make a difference in avoiding wildlife collisions, simply by being aware while driving and watching for wildlife crossing signs,” according to Malcolm Dougherty, Director, Caltrans
According to Defenders of Wildlife, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting native species and their natural communities, there are 725,000 to 1.5 million wildlife-vehicle collisions in the U.S. every year, resulting in more than 200 human fatalities. In California, between eight and 10 drivers and as many as 20,000 deer die in wildlife-vehicle collisions each year.
"Between now and December, deer and other wildlife are highly susceptible to vehicle collisions. 
Deer will soon start their annual migrations to winter range, bucks will be preoccupied competing for mates, and bears will be searching for food in preparation for hibernation. Such natural behaviors can lead these animals into the way of unsuspecting drivers. Drivers can prevent collisions with animals by being careful and paying attention."

 
ANTELOPE LAKE, California – September 16, 2016 – “Any day spent fishing is a good day.” That adage couldn’t have been truer last Saturday at the Plumas National Forest’s children’s fishing derby. Thirty five kids with adults in tow enjoyed a picture perfect late summer day at the lake.
Awards for smallest fish in age groups 0-5, 6-10 & 11-15 years of age, went to Delila Mclean (Janesville), Jackson Brenzovich (Greenville) and Russell Nickerson (Quincy), respectively. Similarly, awards for largest fish in age groups 0-5, 6-10 & 11-15 years of age, went to Jake Huynh (Quincy), Jesse McLain (Greenville) and Ricky Andrea (Richmond).
Kids visited with Smokey, learned about Maidu musical instruments made of natural materials and were given educational fun bags from the CA Department of Water Resources with information about the importance of water and fisheries. “We are indebted to our local merchants who support the event with snacks and prizes every year,” said Jennifer Ready, event coordinator. “We couldn’t do it without them.”
An album of fishing derby photos is posted on the forest Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas/ .
For more recreation information, visit the forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/plumas .

Save time and money by turning landscape trimmings into a valuable soil amendment.
The idea is simple, just collect disease- and insect-free plant debris into a heap and let it decompose into a fine, nutrient rich material that helps improve the soil. Don’t add meat, dairy, invasive plants, weeds that have gone to seed or perennial weeds that can take root and grow in your compost pile.
Speed things up by layering yard waste with soil or compost, adding a bit of fertilizer to each layer and moistening to a consistency of a damp sponge. Further speed up the process by making the pile at least three-feet tall and wide.
Turn the pile as time allows, moving the more decomposed materials from the center to the outside of the pile. It’s a great work out and speeds up the decomposition. The more effort you put into composting the sooner you have rich organic matter for your garden.
Build the pile in a location that is convenient for adding raw materials and harvesting the finished compost. Consider placing the pile near a water source to make moistening the pile easier.  Avoid poorly drained locations that may lead to the pile of compost becoming waterlogged.  Soggy materials break down more slowly and may smell.  
Enclose the pile in a bin to keep the process neat and tidy. Purchase a compost bin or make your own from fencing, concrete reinforcement wire or old heat-treated pallets. 
Single bin wire composters are easy to assemble and move. Enclosed bins keep materials out of sight and neighbors or less enthusiastic family members happy. Look for bins of sturdy UV resistant materials, ventilation for efficient composting and designed for easy loading and unloading.
Tumbler composters are great for small spaces and make loading, unloading and turning much easier.  The closed system also keeps out rodents, wildlife and pets. Add garden waste, keep it consistently moist and give it a turn.  Continually adding fresh material slows the process, but you will still end up with good compost.  Speed up decomposition with two tumblers.  Fill one tumbler with plant waste and let it cook, while collecting fresh materials in the second. Not enough room for two? Try the Dual-Batch Compost Tumbler (gardeners.com), Compost Twin or other tumbler system with two individual bins mounted on one support.  Further speed up results with an insulated unit like the Jorafoam Composter 125. The insulation ensures compost reaches higher temperatures for more efficient composting.
And don’t let cold temperatures or a lack of space stop you. Everyone can convert kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich compost with the help of red worms.  Convert a plastic container filled with shredded paper into a home for the worms and place to recycle plant based food scraps.  Or dress things up with a stylish bin like the green Worm Farm Composter and move the worms indoors for convenient recycling.
Add finished compost to your vegetable and annual gardens every spring to help build healthy soil and a productive and beautiful garden. Or spread a one-inch layer over the soil surface of perennials gardens every year or two to keep your flowers looking their best.
As you clear out the summer garden, put all that green debris to work. Convert it to rich compost for next year’s garden. Then enjoy the many benefits it will have on your landscape.

Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything: Food Gardening For Everyone” DVD set and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio segments. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Gardener’s Supply Company for her expertise to write this article. Myers’ web site is www.melindamyers.com.

Water supplies dedicated to fish should be subject to the same efficiency standards as those affecting California farmers and homeowners, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation, which criticized a proposal released today to require significant new amounts of water to be directed to the ocean.


CFBF President Paul Wenger said the proposal by the State Water Resources Control Board could idle as much as 240,000 acres of Central California farmland—with no guarantee the redirection of water will help the fish it’s intended to benefit.


“For years, regulators have been requiring increasingly more water in the name of environmental protection, but fish populations have continued to decline,” Wenger said. “Regulators have no idea how many more fish—if any—would result from dedicating even more water to environmental purposes. But we do know one thing: This will hurt people.”


Wenger described the basis for the board’s approach as untested, unproven and unpromising, given past results.


“Turning our regional economy, our local communities and our livelihoods into a regulatory experiment is not a responsible way to manage our precious water resources,” he said.


“Farmers have consistently improved the efficiency with which they use water to grow food and farm crops,” he said. “It’s time to apply the same standards to water dedicated to environmental flows. Those flows must be reasonable, useful and most of all, effective.” 


Wenger said Farm Bureau will urge the water board to revise the proposal and work with local water managers and communities to create “a balanced plan to help the environment without causing needless suffering” to people in the affected areas. He said the plan must also comply with the state’s longstanding system of water resource allocation, must afford operational flexibility and must emphasize other factors affecting fish populations, such as predation and habitat.


“Forcing farmland to be fallowed—as this proposal would surely do—degrades the unique environmental resource represented by California farmland, and will hurt people and the economy throughout the region and state,” he said. “It would create another area of chronic water shortage and economic distress, without any proven environmental benefit.”


The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of more than 53,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 6.2 million Farm Bureau members.

From Republican Women Federated:
​ Please talk to voters EVERYDAY.
Prop 55: Prop 30 Tax Extension- OPPOSE

• Remember Prop 30? The “temporary” tax increase touted by Governor Brown and the Democrats? Well, the legislature and Governor Brown want to extend the personal income tax portion of Prop 30 for 12 more years.
• This means that income taxes for single earners of $250,000 a year, joint filers of $500,00 a year, and heads of household filers of $340,000 a year
• This INCLUDES small business whose owners file their small business earners within their personal income taxes
• Prop 55 spells out yet another broken promise made by Governor Brown and legislative Democrats to our taxpayers
• Prop 55 extends taxes while higher taxes are not necessary. California takes in more tax dollars than we need each year — we currently have a $2.7 billion surplus. Let’s use the revenue we have wisely, not tax and spend more than we need.
• -California’s critical spending- healthcare, education- can be funded without this tax unnecessary tax extension. Unsurprisingly, education and healthcare spending skyrocketed since the original passage of Prop 30. Education spending has soared by $24.6 billion since 2012 — a 52% increase. Medi-Cal spending has increased by $2.9 billion a 13% increase. Let’s get back to 2012 spending instead of extending Prop 30.

Prop 56: Cigarette Tax Increase- OPPOSE

• Increases cigarette tax by $2.00 per pack, with equivalent increase on other tobacco products and electronic cigarettes containing nicotine.
• Prop. 56 allocates just 13% of new tobacco tax money to treat smokers or for school education to prevent smoking.
• The authors of Prop 56 purposefully wrote in a loophole so that revenue will fill their pockets and not go to school funding. California's Constitution (through Proposition 98), requires that schools get at least 43% of any new tax increase. Prop. 56 was written to undermine our Constitution's minimum school funding guarantee, allowing the authors to deceptively divert at least $600 million a year from schools to health insurance companies and other wealthy special interests. 
• $147 million a year from the higher cigarette tax revenue will go towards just overhead and bureaucracy alone.
• This is an intentionally deceptive and regressive tax on a small (generally poor and less educated) population of Californians that will pay the increase because of an addiction. The higher tax does nothing to help prevent or decrease smoking or tobacco usage. It is a farce.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 13, 2016
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - "The National Federation of Republican Women is appalled that a candidate for President of the United States would describe our hard-working, freedom-loving members as a 'basket of deplorables,' " NFRW President Carrie Almond said today in a statement, adding that she finds Hillary Clinton's targeting of millions of citizens across America "alarming."
 
"Hillary Clinton's mindset - that she has the power to select and place people in 'baskets' and that she has the right to choose segments of our country to treat as 'deplorables' - is alarming," Almond continued. "Her vitriol does not represent American voters. She does not represent American women."
 
In responding to Clinton's statements made at a fundraiser in New York on Friday, Almond said, "The women who make up our organization are from all areas of our great nation and all walks of life: moms, wives, police officers, farmers, military personnel, teachers, small business owners and executives." Almond continued, "We all love America and our families, we believe in freedom of religion and we work hard to make our communities, states, and nation a great place for ALL to live and thrive, not just a place for liberal elites to prosper."

The NFRW stands with Republican Vice Presidential Nominee Mike Pence who stated today, "I think millions of Americans were shocked and saddened to hear Hillary Clinton refer to people across this country as a 'basket of deplorables' in a prepared speech before wealthy donors in New York City." Pence went on to say, "She said that half of the people supporting Donald Trump and I were 'irredeemable'; we are not America." The Vice Presidential nominee concluded that the fact that Hillary Clinton would speak about the American people with such disdain is "one more reason that disqualifies her to serve in the highest office in the land; anyone who has that low of an opinion of the American people should never serve as President of the United States of America."
 
Founded in 1938, the National Federation of Republican Women is the largest and most influential Republican women's group in the nation. The NFRW (www.nfrw.org) proudly represents the party that first made it possible for women to vote in the U.S.  Today, the NFRW works to increase the effectiveness and relevance of women in the cause of good government.  Our mission remains to recruit and elect Republican candidates, promote the principles of the Republican Party, educate the public and inform the media.

 
The USFS Recreation Residence Tract at Haskell Creek is one of six USFS Recreation Residence Tracts along Highway 49.  Residents own their cabins, and pay an annual fee for the use of the land.  There are Recreation Residence Tracts all across the country and in Puerto Rico.  In 2015, the Haskell Creek Tract was presented with the "Outstanding Tract Award" by the National Forest Homeowners Association at the annual NFH meeting.
Most USFS Tracts have tract associations.  The Haskell Creek Tract Association has been in place since 1948, when the Tract needed a water system.  HCTA maintains the water system and the tract roads.  Annual dues cover maintenance expenses, insurance and NFH membership for the each cabin.  Haskell Creek residents come together each Labor Day Weekend for HCTA Board and General Membership meetings, a silent auction to raise money for the Sierra City Volunteer Fire Department, a pot-luck picnic and games for young and old.  Horseshoe games are legendary, and the rivalry between cabins is sometimes heated.  Winners this year were Gerri Ahart for the women's tournament; HCTA President John Leonard, who beat Matt Ahart by one point for the men's championship; and Josh Leiker, for the under-twelve competition.  
Sidney and Gabrielle Leonard, and their cousin Josh Leiker, sold raffle tickets this year for a dinner at Sardine Lodge.  They raised $500.00 for the SCVFD, which was presented to Ron and Judy Ondrecek, SCVFD, at the picnic along with the Tract check.  A "cache hunt" was organized this year with items to be collected and questions about the tract.  The winning team,of three generations of cabin members, was headed by the Moresi's Granddaughter Molly McNeill.  They made a few errors, but did an excellent job.  Prize for the team was ice-cream cones at Bassetts.  Tracy Leonard again organized the picnic, with face painting and games for both children and adults.  A job well done, Tracy. 
See photos by Jean and Lora Myles.

Assemblyman Gallagher Responds to Governor Brown Signing Ag Overtime Bill
Says AB 1066 will result in lost wages for farm workers


SACRAMENTO – Assemblyman James Gallagher (R-Yuba City) today issued the following statement on the signing of AB 1066, which changes wage and hour laws for farm workers:
“It’s the same old story of a government that is out of touch with the reality of living, working, and doing business in California. I wish that the voices of farmers and farm workers would have truly been heard in this discussion. Instead, the ruling party placated to one union group and the chronic and ignorant misconceptions of a few legislators who have no understanding of the industry and its people. If you understand agriculture, you know that this new law will result in lost wages for farm workers. There are no real winners with AB 1066.”






CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU EXPRESSES DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT WITH SIGNING OF AGRICULTURAL OVERTIME LEGISLATION


Paul Wenger, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation, said that the agricultural community is very dismayed that Gov. Jerry Brown has signed the Agricultural Overtime bill, Assembly Bill 1066 (Lorena Gonzalez – D, San Diego).


President Wenger issued the following statement:


“We are extremely disappointed that this legislation was signed into law, as it will be harmful to farm employees, farmers, consumers and the environment. Those who work on California farms will see reduced paychecks and have their lives disrupted as these new worker overtime rules come into play. California consumers will have fewer opportunities to buy California-grown farm products that are produced under the most stringent food safety, employment and environmental rules in the world.


“Legislation such as AB 1066 only works if California consumers buy California farm products and opt not to buy cheaper food products from sources outside of California that do not meet the same labor and environmental stewardship standards that our farm products do.


“It is unfortunate that those who will suffer the economic consequences of this ill-conceived statute are not the ones that wrote it and passed it into law.”


The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of more than 53,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 6.2 million Farm Bureau members.

Plumas County GIS is pleased to announce that we have updated our GIS County website to include an interactive web map portal.  The site’s update was prompted by a desire to reflect the scope of our work and to provide a free value-added service for the citizens of Plumas County.  We believe this online map will be a fantastic and powerful tool in getting useful county data out to the public.


So why use a geographical web map?  The old saying ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’ – is so true when using a geographical web map.  You can zoom in and look at a house or property, view population trends, the slope on a mountain where a fire has burned, where the nearest fire station is located, or determine the zoning of a parcel.  That’s the kind of thing where words don’t describe it and a picture helps to clarify and support the descriptions.  Users get the complete picture of what’s out there.


County leaders and departments can use a geographical web map to view and evaluate county data for a variety of uses and to assist in part of their decision-making process, such as land use or to view flood or fire areas.  They can fly in, see where the roads, railroads, and parcels are and the areas around it. 


Public and commercial users also benefit using a geographical web map.  Not only is the data more manageable, comprehensive, and accessible… it is easier to share.  For example, a person buys a piece of land in the middle of the forest and wants to know where it is in relation to the area, or on the business side, a real estate agent would find it very helpful assisting with property sales.


The updates to the website include some of these new features:


·         Map Portal: 
To help better understand the spatial nature of locations within Plumas County, we’ve created an interactive map portal showcasing maps that will be of interest to the citizens of Plumas County. 


Maps include parcels, zoning, boundaries, districts, population statistics, and many more.  Users will be able to search an address or parcel, turn layers on and off, query a community or place, perform simple analysis, measure or draw on the map, change the basemap, print the map, ascertain a geolocation (mobile use only) or use the Google Street View feature. 


Additional interactive maps will be added as time allows and in response to specific requests by the users of the site.

The Barbed Wire - RCRC

Early Wednesday morning, Senate Bill 859, a budget trailer bill originally applying to drinking water and water rights, was amended to include provisions that place requirements on utilities to keep existing in-state biomass facilities open and help with mitigation of dead and dying trees in the State’s high hazard tree mortality areas.  
The bill requires utilities to procure 125 megawatts of generating capacity from already existing, in-state biomass facilities that were operating before June 1, 2013 through five-year contracts.  At least 80 percent of the feedstock (annually) from an eligible facility must be a byproduct of sustainable forest management practices, which includes the removal of dead and dying trees from Tier 1 and Tier 2 high hazard tree mortality zones.
While many stakeholders who have been working on the tree mortality and biomass front supported the provisions in the bill, utilities and environmental groups were not so quick to praise the amended bill.  Utilities expressed displeasure at having to pass costs onto ratepayers for energy that wouldn’t be used statewide, while environmental groups feared that not only would older, less clean biomass facilities benefit from the bill, but that healthy trees would be sacrificed in order to provide feedstock for the facilities to continue operating.  The bill was one of the last items to pass the Legislature on Wednesday night as it waited for the final votes needed to pass in the Senate.  SB 859 now awaits the Governor’s signature. 

By Merrill Matthews


The casualty toll of green energy continues to mount. The danger wind turbines pose to birds is well known. Less appreciated is that hundreds of thousands of bats are also dying. 


Both birds and bats are critical to our ecosystem, and their mass extermination poses a bigger, more immediate threat to the environment than climate change.


Scientific American recently highlighted the problem of bat deaths from wind turbines, citing a wind industry initiative to reduce deaths by 30 percent. Unfortunately, even if these efforts succeed, they may not be enough to avert serious consequences. 


A Wildlife Society Bulletin study estimated that 573,000 birds-including 83,000 birds of prey such as eagles and hawks-and 888,000 bats were killed by wind-energy projects in 2012.  But the number of wind turbines has grown substantially since then.


Echoing those findings, Bird Studies Canada estimates that 14,144 non-raptors and 462 raptors were killed by wind turbines in Canada between May and October of 2015. The same study estimates 42,656 bat deaths-three times the number of bird deaths.


And it's not just North America. Scientific American explains, "A research paper published in January of this year found that wind turbines are, by far, the largest cause of mass bat mortality around the world." 


Bats are crucial to the ecosystem and to humans. They eat many insects, including some very damaging ones, reducing the amount of pesticides needed for crops. Moreover, bats are pollinators, they scatter fruit seeds, and are considered a "keystone species" in regions where the ecological system depends on them.


The mosquito-borne Zika and West Nile viruses are major public health threats, which makes murdering bats and birds that consume mosquitoes all the more dangerous. Bats prey on mosquitoes, as do Purple Martins, a species fourth on Bird Studies Canada's "Top 15 Hit List" of birds killed by wind turbines. 


Yet there is a ho-hum response from many people who regularly lecture about the importance of the environment - no one more so than President Obama.


President Obama recently unveiled a plan that would turn a blind eye to the killings. Under the plan, "wind companies and other power providers could kill or injure up to 4,200 bald eagles a year without penalty-nearly four times the current limit. Golden eagles could only be killed if companies take steps to minimize the losses, for instance, by retrofitting power poles to reduce the risk of electrocution."


Since when is it acceptable to kill 4,200 bald eagles? Although they were removed from the endangered species list in 2007, the birds are still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Act of 1940. 


In this presidential election year, we frequently hear about "equal justice." Accidentally killing a bald eagle can bring down the full wrath of law enforcement - unless you own a wind turbine apparently. 


Some bat species are on, or are being considered for, the endangered list, but wind turbines don't care.


Animal rights and environmental activists are pushing back against the bird and bat holocaust, but are conflicted because of their support for renewable energy. 


Past environmentalist efforts rightly supported expanding natural gas because it burns cleaner than coal and nuclear energy-neither of which would decimate bird and bat populations. But those days are gone. 


Environmentalists who think that climate change is our most serious threat have themselves become a threat -- to wildlife vital to the ecosystem.


Merrill Matthews is a resident scholar with the Institute for Policy Innovation in Dallas, Texas. Follow at twitter.com/MerrillMatthews.

The former classmates met at the Country Market in Loyalton August 27th and then attended tours at the new museum site before enjoying dinner at Golden West that night.

CAL FIRE stresses One Less Spark this Labor Day means One Less Wildfire


Sacramento – In the past two months, California has experienced a rash of large and damaging wildfires and in almost every single case, the fire was preventable. It’s true; 95% of all wildfires are caused by the activity of people! CAL FIRE is asking, especially with the holiday weekend, that all Californians do their part now to help prevent the next devastating wildfire. One Less Spark means One Less Wildfire.

“As we are in the middle of the fifth year of record drought, we need to make sure that everyone is vigilant in preventing wildfires,” said Lynne Tolmachoff, CAL FIRE Chief of Public Education. “It starts with our Ready, Set, Go! Program that helps prepare residents for a wildfire, and carries over to the One Less Spark, One Less Wildfire Program that stresses how to prevent wildfires through proper care and maintenance of campfires, vehicles, and outdoor equipment.” 

Outdoor Powered Equipment

• Use powered equipment before 10 a.m. when it is cooler. 
• Use the right equipment to cut dry grass. Lawn mowers are designed to mow lawn grass, not weeds. 
• When using heavy equipment such as tractors, backhoes or harvesters, use caution around rocks, as metal implements striking rocks can create a spark and start a fire. 
• Ensure chainsaws, weed eaters and other portable gasoline-powered equipment are in good working order, which includes having a spark arrestor.
• When welding, make sure there is at least ten feet of clearance and a fire extinguisher or charged water hose ready to use, just in case of a fire.

Campfires

• Campfire permits are required for all portable gas stoves and campfires; check to make sure there are no fire restrictions in the area first.
• Always have water or a shovel nearby.
• Never leave children unattended by a campfire.
• Completely extinguish campfires using the “drown, stir, and feel” method
  • Drown the fire with water.
  • Stir the area with a shovel to wet any remaining embers and ash and mix in more dirt.
  • Lastly, feel the area with the back of your hand to make sure it’s cool.
  • If it is still hot repeat the “drown and stir” method until it is cool

Vehicles

• Never drive over dry grass.
• Vehicle maintenance is crucial in preventing wildfires.
• Securing trailer chain so they don’t drag on the ground.
• Ensure vehicle brakes and tire pressure are maintained to prevent sparking from metal to metal contact.

To learn more ways to prevent a wildfire visit ReadyForWildfire.org.