Jessica Love (50) Reno.  Driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or above.  Three years probation, 2 days jail, and fine of $1895.
 
David Young (28) Eugene Oregon.  Theft of a firearm, and theft of automobile.  Sentencing on October 10.  He remains in custody in lieu of $250,000 bail.
 
Alfonso Ruiz – Tapia (34) and Margarito Valencia-Andrade (47) both Mexican nationals.  After a contested preliminary hearing, both were ordered to stand trial on felony cultivation of marijuana with illegal stream diversion, illegal storage of hazardous waste, storage of hazardous waste that places another person in danger of death or serious injury, stream diversion, and resisting a peace officer.  They remain in custody in lieu of $175,000 in bail.
 
Shawn Atkinson (46), Truckee, Timothy Ruppert (35) Truckee, Scott Carlson (35) Sacramento, and Valentin Lasco (32) Truckee.  All were convicted of illegal (and separate) campfires.  Fines assessed were $572 each.
 
Michael Acutt (44) Loyalton.  Unlawful display of vehicle license tab.  Eighteen months probation, fine $849.
 
Justin Duncan (42) Verdi Nv.  After a trial by jury, Duncan was convicted of felony  level injury to co-habitant.  He was remanded on a no bail hold, and will be sentenced on October 13.
 
Michael Sylvestri (60) Sierraville. Felony battery on another with force likely to produce great bodily injury.  Sentencing is October 27.
 
Melissa Parsons (27) Reno.  Felony battery on another with force likely to produce great bodily injury. Sentencing is October 27.

LOYALTON CITY COUNCIL now has three members, Mayor Mark Marin, Vice Mayor Nancy Rogers and Jason Vandaam with the resignations of Krystin Gallegos and Brooks Mitchell. One maintenance worker has resigned and at Tuesday’s meeting, it was announced Bookkeeper Kim Lombardi has resigned to work full time at Sierra Valley Home Center. The mayor credited Kim for a good audit and good work. 
The council voted to replace the maintenance worker.
For a council member, the three couldn’t agree on a new member so candidates Joy Markum, Libby Ryan and Colby Russell were asked to resubmit their letters and the council will have 30 days to fill Krystin’s position. Special election costs $3,000. 
For Brooks’ seat, it will be filled in 2018.
The mayor told of looking into solar at the sewer plant where “electricity is astronomical.” When it was suggested to use USDA funding, the mayor stated there is $600,000 from the lawsuit which has to be used on the sewer plant.
The mayor talked of the “City not in a good state,” and explained how the city only gets 17% of property taxes. “Due to past councils,” he said the County still gets all that money and “we do the job as if we get 50%,” and added, “something has to be done. Seventeen percent is tough.”
Heavy discussion was over the sewer plant and the mayor stated Loyalton was the only municipal that didn’t dump water into the Feather River. The mayor told how the plant never should have been built where it is, was fixed with no documentation or inspection and how the flow rate needs to be dropped. He told of needing to negotiate funding to find where all the water is coming from where people flood on 1st Street where there used to be a ditch out to the old Wily Ranch and Lewis Pond was taken out.
Those in the audience were outspoken over the trailer park and why people still weren’t being shut off. The mayor said he’d call the county and tell them they’ll shut off water. It was stated 20 residents are paying.
Over a community clean up, it was decided the council would call 4H, Boy Scouts and check with Probation. Concerning overgrown yards which were called fire hazards, from the audience, Libby Ryan questioned the council sending letters, wants follow up and to change the city ordinance. According to Assistant Fire Chief Robert DeMartini, the fire department makes a recommendation and the city writes the letters.
For PERS, the mayor said he knows of no contract and stated the city “is broke.” Money they’ve had, had to use “by law.”
DeMartini said the fire department had gone on 114 calls; last night’s “wasn’t anything.” It gets volunteers out of bed and was “nothing but a street light.”
The Council will find details before voting in favor of adding $1 to vehicle license fees to help fund removing abandoned vehicles from public land. Libby Ryan told of CHP “dragging out vehicles and it didn’t cost a cent!”​

Photo by Mike Buck​

The second year of the Sierra Valley Art + Ag Trail is about to roll through town on September 30. This year the free self-guided tour, an event of the Sierra County Arts Council organized by volunteer Sierra Valley residents, will include six working ranches, two farms, two historic schoolhouses, as well as the Sattley Cash Store, Sierra Valley Grange Hall and Feather River Land Trust’s Sierra Valley Preserve – thirteen sites in total spread around Sierra Valley.
Visitors are invited to start the day at one of the three Trailhead locations where they can pick up a printed map of this year’s event sites, and then proceed at their own pace along the trail. Trailheads will host artists and activities and will be selling event passports, prize drawing tickets and souvenirs, including beautiful quilt  
square flour sack dish towels by Karen Rickman, A Bit of Beach. 
The optional event passport ($20) features iconic Sierra Valley photos, including samples from local photographic artists participating in the event – Bronwyn Olsen, Micah Silver and Kacie Marin.  Passport holders will collect stamps from the event sites and exhibitors, such as cattle brands from the ranches and symbols representing the artists’ work. 
Two prize drawing tickets come with the purchase of a passport; additional are $5 each. The prize drawing includes many works of art from the participating local artists, such as a Black Bear painting by Sierra Brooks artist, Tyler Jacobsen (Sierra Valley Wildlife), a basket of goodies made by the fiber artists exhibiting at the Harvey Ranch, and a solar light from glass artist Katie Tanner of Beckwourth.  Local businesses have also contributed many prizes, including meals from Los Dos Hermanos and a fall decoration from Red Pony in Sierraville. The prize drawing will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the Sierra Valley Grange Hall in Vinton.
Sites, Exhibitors and Activities
Each event site will host local artists (40 in all) on September 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as well as many other agricultural, artisanal and nature-based enterprises from the region. The event will also highlight the colorful Sierra Valley Barn Quilt Trail locations. Exhibitors will be set up in and around Sierra Valley’s beautiful old dairy barns and historic buildings, so that visitors can both learn about the history and modern-day uses of these buildings and enjoy artwork, informational displays and activities.
New this year, the Wily Ranch (most recently Cassida but now owned by Einen and Rhonda Grandi) at the northeast edge of Loyalton will be a site on the Art + Ag Trail. Helen (Wily) Roberti, who grew up on the ranch beginning in the 1930s, will be on hand sharing stories from her youth. The site will also host the Sierra Valley Yaks from Calpine, with Greg and Jenna Gatto supplying snacks to feed the friendly yaks. Lorraine Nielsen from Shear Bliss in Indian Valley, will be on-hand spinning yak fiber into yarn and showing and selling her wool products from her flock of Jacob sheep. The site will also host Rosanna Angel and her line of Heaven Sent bath products made from milk from her own goat herd, as well as Loyalton artist, Leland Cross and his beautiful paintings.
According to organizer, Kristi Jamason, this year there will be about twice as many artists and exhibitors at each event location and many demonstrations and hands-on activities and opportunities. Jennifer Kennedy of High Sierra Heritage Fruit will be at the Sierraville School with heritage apple tasting and an offer to try to identify visitors’ apples if they bring two or three of each variety along. The Grange Hall will have an apple press set up, so visitors can try pressing and sampling apple juice (along with being able to purchase a slice of homemade apple pie!). Over at the Harvey Farms & Forestry site in Calpine, 


visitors will be able to try their hand at spinning 
and weaving. Three local 4H clubs will be set up at the Roberti Ranch pole barn on Dyson Lane, allowing visitors to meet and pet their farm animals and ask questions. There will also be a hay maze, corn crib and games at KC Cattle Company and a chance to pick out your Halloween pumpkin at Lil’ Meg’s Pumpkin Patch – both on County Road A-23.
The historic one-room Summit School on Highway 70 and Lost Marbles Ranch at Marble Hot Springs Road and County Road A-23 are also new sites on the Art + Ag Trail this year. 
Summit School owners Ed and Diane Yang, of Reno, purchased the property two years ago to ensure the community continues to have access to this cultural historic resource. They set up a lending library just off the highway, have the interior of the school set up with desks, globes, historic photos and more period education-oriented pieces and are thrilled to be a stop on the Trail this year. They will host Paul Herman of Great Basin Pottery, Jeanne Tansey’s Baskets & Books pine needle baskets, Rich Banks with High Sierra Crystals of Chilcoot, artist Lori Paoletti of Vinton and Gloria Gipson’s Earth ‘n’ Light gemstone and crystal jewelry out of Beckwourth.
Lost Marbles Ranch, owned by Dick and Chris Spencer, will be showing off their wedding venue historic barn, with five artist exhibitors on site, including Lucia Biunno of Dog Walk Crochet, Loyalton schoolteacher, Adrienne Anila (Mama Fig fiber arts), Presley 
Sundberg’s Manifest Station Studio upcycled tin can lighting, Ryan Cook with his barn wood furniture, and Gail Frazier with her Pet Portrait service and mixed-media paintings.
A listing of all the sites and hosted exhibitors is on the event website under “Event Sites.”
On the Topic of Food…
This year local eateries are getting into the spirit of the event, as well. For example, Rhonda’s Lil’ Frosty will be offering an all-day hotdog special with fries and a drink. Cassandra Martinetti will be offering a family-recipe sausage and cheesy polenta special at Fork n Horn in Sierraville. Goodwin’s General Store in Chilcoot will have rotisserie chicken with a selection of sides.
Special to the event, chef Sean Conry, formerly executive chef of Longboards for 16 years, will be cooking up lunch fare with local culinary arts students from Portola High School and his Feather River College classes at the Sierra Valley Farms event site in Beckwourth. Using local ingredients, including heritage pork from Sage Eggs & Ham in Beckwourth, Sean and the students will be making and selling lunch fare, including pulled pork sandwiches and Thai pork meatballs (as well as vegetarian salad, soup and desserts created by the FRC pastry class). Anna Harvey will have family-recipe Basque chorizo sausage (with a twist - made with lamb) on a baguette for sale at the Harvey Ranch.
Visitors are encouraged to throw an ice chest in the car. Local pork (Sage Eggs & Ham) and lamb (Harvey Farms) will be on sale, as well as farm products from Sierra Valley Farms.
This year, both the Plumas-Sierra Cattlemen’s Association & the Plumas-Sierra Cattlewomen will be cooking up a delicious meal to end the day. The tri-tip dinner following the prize drawing at the Grange hall will be an opportunity to catch up with friends, compare passport stamps, swap stories, and participate in a live auction featuring local rancher (comedian), Rick Roberti. Advanced dinner tickets (including children’s pricing options) are recommended and can be purchased online until September 23. If the dinner does not sell out via online sales, tickets will be available at the door.
Traveling the trail and taking in all the sites, history and activities is free. Tickets for the Plumas-Sierra Cattlemen’s and Cattlewomen’s tri-tip dinner, passport sales and prize drawing tickets are on sale now via the event website, but will be ending in advance of the event. 
Visit https://sierravalleyartagtrail.org/reservations for information and access to online sales.

SACRAMENTO - Following the conclusion of the 2017 legislative session, Senator Ted Gaines (R-El Dorado) is highlighting just a few of the ways the legislature voted to increase taxes and make California less affordable.

Gas Tax (Senate Bill 1)
The legislature passed and the Governor signed a transportation proposal that imposes $52 billion in permanent new gas taxes and user fees on motorists. Starting this fall, every motorist in California will pay an additional $0.12 per gallon of gasoline and $0.20 per gallon of diesel. That might not sound like much, but with this and the increase in annual vehicle registration fees by as much as $175 per vehicle, it adds up to an average of $350 per household over the course of a year. If you're a commuter, live in the country, or own a business, the cost could be much higher.
Cap-and-Trade Extension (Assembly Bill 398)
The legislature passed and the Governor signed an extension of the state's cap-and-trade program. Fuels under the program already adds $0.11 to every gallon of gas. The new gas tax adds an additional $0.12 cents to every gallon (that number will go up every year after 2021), and the cap-and-trade extension could add another $0.73 cents to every gallon of gas on top of that. While the rest of the country is paying $2 a gallon for gas, we are going to be paying a dollar and a half a gallon just in taxes and climate fees. A large portion of the money collected through the cap-and-trade program has been allocated to fund high-speed rail.
Housing Package (Senate Bill 2)
Included in a package of housing bills was Senate Bill 2, which the legislature has approved and sent to the Governor for signature. The bill would impose a $75 to $225 "recording fee" on all real estate transactions. The fee would generate as much as $258 million per year. Instead of addressing the housing crisis by reducing the obstacles to housing development, legislators have chosen to put the cost on the backs of California taxpayers.  


"Legislative Democrats have touted this year as 'one of the most productive sessions in California history.' I suppose this is accurate if you define 'productive' as continuing to pile on taxes and make California increasingly unlivable for businesses and hardworking working families," said Senator Gaines. "I will not give up. I will continue to stand up for California taxpayers that are getting nickeled and dimed at every turn."
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Senator Ted Gaines represents the 1st Senate District, which includes all or parts of Alpine, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sierra and Siskiyou counties.

​

SACRAMENTO - Senator Ted Gaines (R-El Dorado) sent the following letter to Governor Brown requesting that he declare a State of Emergency in Siskiyou County related to the rampant illegal marijuana grows.



Dear Governor Brown:


I am writing to urge you to declare a State of Emergency in Siskiyou County to address the public health and public safety consequences resulting from the proliferation of illegal marijuana cultivation in the county.


All laws regarding legal marijuana cultivation are being ignored by individual criminals, crime syndicates and drug cartels, who are treating the public and private lands of Siskiyou County as their own illicit greenhouse, harming citizens, law enforcement personnel, and the agricultural community.


The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office, despite outstanding leadership, has simply too few officers to effectively police such a vast geographic area on its own and is in desperate need of any and all assistance the state could provide, including deployment of California National Guard personnel to assist them in their mission to stamp out illegal grows.


The illegal grows are also notorious polluters and are doing grave damage to California's environment, with indiscriminate use of toxic pesticides and rodenticides that are not monitored by California's regulatory authorities. This unchecked use of dangerous chemicals is corrupting our soil and water, in addition to poisoning animals in and around the illegal grow sites.


A recent study estimated that illegal grows on National Forest lands statewide (not exclusively Siskiyou County) contain "731,000 pounds of solid fertilizer, 491,000 ounces of concentrated liquid fertilizer and 200,000 ounces of toxic pesticides." The waste is so concentrated that numerous law enforcement personnel have been hospitalized through exposure.


Workers at the illegal grows are also exposed to unhealthy levels of toxic chemicals and may suffer adverse health consequences as a result.


Siskiyou County ranchers are imperiled by the polluted water resulting from illegal grows and are also victimized by marijuana growers' water theft. This illegitimate industry is now threatening a legal industry that has been operating in the area for more than a century.


I recently took a helicopter tour to view illegal marijuana grows in Siskiyou County and was shocked by the scale of the activity. The grows are vast and numerous, and it's indicative of a community that is overrun by unlawful behavior, and of a criminal class that is in complete contempt of the law.


That is both sad and dangerous, and if left unchecked the explosion of illegal grows will continue to exhaust local law enforcement, threaten agriculture, and destroy communities.


The county has suffered under a rapidly accelerating spread of criminal marijuana growing operations. It is incumbent on state government to address this issue that has overwhelmed local government resources. I look forward to your prompt action on this matter.


Sincerely,


TED GAINES
Senator, 1st District


cc:  Major General David S. Baldwin,the Adjunct General of the
       California Military Department
      Secretary John Laird, California Resources Agency
      Secretary Matthew Rodriquez, California Environmental
       Protection Agency
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Senator Ted Gaines represents the 1st Senate District, which includes all or parts of Alpine, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sierra and Siskiyou counties.

​

 
 
A public Congressional District 1 Candidate Forum will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017 at the Quincy Branch of the Plumas County Library, 445 Jackson St., from 5:00-6:30 PM.  The purpose of the event is to introduce candidates running for the US House of Representatives in the June 5, 2018 Primary Election.
 
 After the candidates’ opening statements, the audience will be given the opportunity to ask questions submitted in writing on the night of the event. 
 
The candidates attending this forum are as follows:
 
Dennis Duncan, from Butte County, has been a social worker most of his adult life, working primarily with families. He is running on a platform of honesty and ethics to bring those qualities to Washington D.C.
 
Jessica Holcombe, from Placer County, is a business attorney and advocate for civil rights, improving the lives of working families and the rights of immigrants. She is ready to go to battle for these rights in Congress.
 
Marty Walters, from Plumas County, is an environmental scientist and financial analyst. She is running on a platform of building new rural economies, developing a roadmap toward single payer healthcare, and managing our forests and watersheds for fire resilience and sustainable water, timber and recreational use.
 
The evening will end with the opportunity for the audience to speak with the candidates informally during light refreshments.
 
This event is sponsored by Indian Valley Indivisibles, Plumas County Democrats and Plumas Action Network.

PHOTOS COURTESY ROGER FREEBURG