Lassen National Forest Lifts Fire Restrictions/Lassen National Forest Lifts Fire Restrictions
 
SUSANVILLE, Calif. -- Lassen National Forest officials will lift fire restrictions forest-wide, effective Friday, October 5, 2018.
 
Forest visitors may once again have campfires outside of developed campgrounds and recreation sites, although California Campfire permits are still required. The free permit may be obtained online at http://www.preventwildfireca.org/Campfire-Permit/ or from Forest Service offices during regular business hours (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.). Visitors are reminded to keep campfires small and ensure they are completely extinguished and cold to the touch before leaving.
 
It remains the responsibility of woodcutters to obtain the "woodcutting status" by calling (530) 257-9553 each day before heading out to cut wood.  The recorded message will be updated to notify potential woodcutters if there are restrictions such as 1 o'clock shut-down, open all day (no restrictions), or no woodcutting allowed that day.
 
As a reminder, woodcutters must assure chainsaws are equipped with spark arresters, possess valid woodcutting permits and attach tags to their loads, so they are easily visible as they transport the wood.
 
For more information, contact any Lassen National Forest office.
 
Almanor Ranger District Office                 (530) 258-2141
Eagle Lake Ranger District Office            (530) 257-4188
Hat Creek Ranger District Office               (530) 336-5521
Forest Headquarters                                   (530) 257-2151
 
# # #
 
 
SUSANVILLE, Calif. -- Although fire season is still here, fire managers on the Lassen National Forest are beginning to plan for prescribed burn operations. Prescribed burning will begin when weather conditions allow for safe and effective burning conditions.
 
The Lassen National Forest uses prescribed fire to meet a multitude of objectives, including reducing natural fuel accumulations and fuels generated by activities such as timber sales and hand thinning projects. An additional purpose for using prescribed fire is to reintroduce fire to ecosystems that evolved with frequent fire. Prescribed fire mimics this essential component of western ecosystems by increasing the vigor of understory productivity, improving forage for wildlife and releasing nutrients into soils by consumed fuels. Prescribed fire also improves the resilience of forested lands to the threats by uncharacteristically severe wildfire as well as impacts by insects and disease.
 
The Eagle Lake Ranger District will be implementing prescribed burns in several project areas. Approximately 1,388 acres of understory burning could occur in the following locations: Bailey Defensible Fuel Profile Zone (DFPZ) on the northwest side of Campbell Mountain (311 acres), Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest (412 acres); Summit DFPZ on the east side of Logan Mountain (465 acres), and Houseman and Signal DFPZs around Dow Butte (200 acres), located approximately 6 miles north of the community of Spalding. Depending on weather conditions during the prescribed burning, smoke could be visible from Susanville, the Eagle Lake Basin, Westwood, Spalding, and while traveling on Highways 44 and 139, and County Roads A1 and A21. In addition to these treatments, approximately 178 acres of landing piles and 73 acres of hand piles will be burned throughout the district, once significant rain or snowfall has occurred.
 
The Almanor Ranger District will focus efforts on the Minnow Project, where up to 295 acres of understory burning will take place. The Minnow Project is an oak and pine enhancement project located in Butte County, approximately two miles east of the community of Inskip. Smoke from this burn may be visible from Chico and other communities in the Sacramento Valley. In the Philbrook Lake area, about 15 acres of landing piles will be burned as well as 40 acres of machine piles and 55 acres of hand piles. North of the community of Mineral, an additional 15 acres of landing piles will be burned. Hand piles from an aspen enhancement project will be burned in the Domingo Springs area, north of Chester for about four acres.
 
The Hat Creek District will be conducting up to 500 acres of underburning in and around the community of Old Station. Smoke may be visible to those traveling through the area on Highways 44 and 89. In the areas of Halls Flat and Blacks Ridge, an additional 1,500 acres of underburning is scheduled. And, once wetter weather sets in, district fire management personnel are planning to burn 700 acres of piles spread across the District.
 
Smoke is a natural byproduct of prescribed burn operations, and fire managers take precautions to manage it. First, burning only takes place on permissive burn days identified by local air pollution control districts. Second, many treatment areas have been mechanically thinned, resulting in reduced smoke emissions. Finally, fire managers coordinate with other public agencies and industrial landowners in northeastern California on burn days, which limits the amount of smoke in the air at any one time.
 
Prescribed burning is a valuable tool that has been proven to limit subsequent wildfire severity as well as improve conditions for firefighters by decreasing fire behavior in areas that have experienced prescribed fire. The Lassen National Forest remains committed to using prescribed fire in combination with other land management techniques to return public lands to a more natural, fire resilient condition while protecting communities from the effects of wildfires.
 
 
Lassen National Forest lies at the Crossroads of California, where the granite of the Sierra Nevada, the lava of the Cascades and the Modoc Plateau, and the sagebrush of the Great Basin meet. The Forest is managed for recreational access as well as timber and firewood, forage for livestock, water, minerals, and other natural resources.
 
# # #
 
 

 
Washington, DC – September 27, 2018 – This week, the owner of a biomass power facility located in rural northeastern California urged EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler to process applications from biomass power facilities to participate in the Renewable Fuel Standard. The letter, below, makes clear the urgency of processing eRIN applications for a biomass facility that is a key contributor to forest management in an area at high risk of forest fire.
 
“Denying biomass power producers their rightful participation in the RFS has had real world consequences, and we anticipate that these consequences will get worse,” said Bob Cleaves, president and CEO of Biomass Power Association. “Our industry has already seen shutdowns in recent years, and properly implementing the RFS could help avoid these problems. Most biomass power facilities, including Loyalton Cogen, are located in rural communities where they contribute significantly to the local economy.”
 
The EPA currently has applications from biomass power facilities across the country to generate RINs for renewably-produced electricity. Both Congress and the EPA have approved renewable electricity to participate in the program, but in the four years since it approved electricity the EPA has failed to implement the pathway.
 
This letter follows a letter sent earlier this month to the EPA by 111 biomass, biogas and waste-to-energy organizations urging action on eRINs, and a bipartisan letter sent in June by eight California members of Congress to the EPA.
 

 
SUSANVILLE, Calif. -- Although fire season is still here, fire managers on the Lassen National Forest are beginning to plan for prescribed burn operations. Prescribed burning will begin when weather conditions allow for safe and effective burning conditions.
 
The Lassen National Forest uses prescribed fire to meet a multitude of objectives, including reducing natural fuel accumulations and fuels generated by activities such as timber sales and hand thinning projects. An additional purpose for using prescribed fire is to reintroduce fire to ecosystems that evolved with frequent fire. Prescribed fire mimics this essential component of western ecosystems by increasing the vigor of understory productivity, improving forage for wildlife and releasing nutrients into soils by consumed fuels. Prescribed fire also improves the resilience of forested lands to the threats by uncharacteristically severe wildfire as well as impacts by insects and disease.
 
The Eagle Lake Ranger District will be implementing prescribed burns in several project areas. Approximately 1,388 acres of understory burning could occur in the following locations: Bailey Defensible Fuel Profile Zone (DFPZ) on the northwest side of Campbell Mountain (311 acres), Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest (412 acres); Summit DFPZ on the east side of Logan Mountain (465 acres), and Houseman and Signal DFPZs around Dow Butte (200 acres), located approximately 6 miles north of the community of Spalding. Depending on weather conditions during the prescribed burning, smoke could be visible from Susanville, the Eagle Lake Basin, Westwood, Spalding, and while traveling on Highways 44 and 139, and County Roads A1 and A21. In addition to these treatments, approximately 178 acres of landing piles and 73 acres of hand piles will be burned throughout the district, once significant rain or snowfall has occurred.
 
The Almanor Ranger District will focus efforts on the Minnow Project, where up to 295 acres of understory burning will take place. The Minnow Project is an oak and pine enhancement project located in Butte County, approximately two miles east of the community of Inskip. Smoke from this burn may be visible from Chico and other communities in the Sacramento Valley. In the Philbrook Lake area, about 15 acres of landing piles will be burned as well as 40 acres of machine piles and 55 acres of hand piles. North of the community of Mineral, an additional 15 acres of landing piles will be burned. Hand piles from an aspen enhancement project will be burned in the Domingo Springs area, north of Chester for about four acres.
 
The Hat Creek District will be conducting up to 500 acres of underburning in and around the community of Old Station. Smoke may be visible to those traveling through the area on Highways 44 and 89. In the areas of Halls Flat and Blacks Ridge, an additional 1,500 acres of underburning is scheduled. And, once wetter weather sets in, district fire management personnel are planning to burn 700 acres of piles spread across the District.
 
Smoke is a natural byproduct of prescribed burn operations, and fire managers take precautions to manage it. First, burning only takes place on permissive burn days identified by local air pollution control districts. Second, many treatment areas have been mechanically thinned, resulting in reduced smoke emissions. Finally, fire managers coordinate with other public agencies and industrial landowners in northeastern California on burn days, which limits the amount of smoke in the air at any one time.
 
Prescribed burning is a valuable tool that has been proven to limit subsequent wildfire severity as well as improve conditions for firefighters by decreasing fire behavior in areas that have experienced prescribed fire. The Lassen National Forest remains committed to using prescribed fire in combination with other land management techniques to return public lands to a more natural, fire resilient condition while protecting communities from the effects of wildfires.
 
 
Lassen National Forest lies at the Crossroads of California, where the granite of the Sierra Nevada, the lava of the Cascades and the Modoc Plateau, and the sagebrush of the Great Basin meet. The Forest is managed for recreational access as well as timber and firewood, forage for livestock, water, minerals, and other natural resources.
 
# # #
 
 
 

(Richvale, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after sending a letter to Agriculture Committee Conferees requesting they include strong forest management provisions in the final Conference Report of the Farm Bill. The letter was sent along with other members of the Congressional Western Caucus.
 
LaMalfa said: “Wildfire season is at its worst in California. The Carr Fire quickly became one of the most devastating fires in the history of the North State, and we have decades of poorly managed federal forests to blame. We shouldn’t view worsening wildfires as simply inevitable, and instead focus on actionable solutions. As dead trees pile up and fires become increasingly severe, responsibly thinning our forests is now more important than ever. It’s imperative that any final conference report on the Farm Bill contains strong provisions to strengthen forest management practices. The House has approved a selection of reasonable and uncontroversial recommendations, and we expect the committee to seriously consider these provisions in the final report.”
 
A signed copy of the letter is attached. The letter recommended the following policy adjustments be included in the forestry title of the final Farm Bill of 2018:
 

• Allow existing and any new Healthy Forests Restoration Act authorities to be used within Fire Regimes IV and V. See Section 8321 of H.R. 2. 
•  Facilitate the use of Good Neighbor Authority by expanding it to counties and tribes and codifying existing practices concerning the flow of contributions and receipts associated with these projects. See Section 8331 of H.R. 2 and Section 8624 of H.R. 2 EAS.
• Accelerate post-fire restoration and reforestation projects through either a new categorical exclusion or, at the very least, by applying Sections 104 and 106 of HFRA to post-fire projects carried out under the Forest Service’s existing Emergency Situation Determination authority. See Sections 8312 and 8334 of H.R. 2.
• Establish an Action, No-Action authority for Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments to reward, incentivize, and protect projects that are developed through a collaborative process with diverse stakeholders. See Section 8335 of H.R. 2.
• Apply Section 106 of HFRA (“balance of harms” and other policies related to injunctions) to all forest management projects, and expressly clarify that courts must find that plaintiffs are “likely to succeed on the merits” before enjoining a forest management project. See Section 8336 of H.R. 2.
• Establish and expand categorical exclusions for projects that restore watersheds, protect water quality, improve forest health, allow for critical response, address insect and diseases, and reduce the risk of wildfire. See Section 8107 and Sections 8311-8321 of H.R. 2 as well as Section 8611 of H.R. 2 EAS.
• Streamline approval of, and afford tribes greater authority in, implementing projects under the Tribal Forest Protection Act. See Section 8401 and 8402 of H.R. 2.
• Establish pilot arbitration authority and include litigation reform to more swiftly resolve disputes over important forest management projects. See Sections 301, 311, 811 and 812 of H.R. 2936 and (g) of Section 8339 of H.R. 2.
• Update extraordinary circumstances regulations in order to allow expedited response. See Section 8503 of H.R. 2.
• Improve consultation under the Endangered Species Act. See Section 8303 of H.R. 2.
• Establish a voluntary pilot program that would allow a participating utility to conduct limited, proactive vegetation management work outside of its right-of-way on federal lands. This mitigation work should be conducted at the expense of the participating utility in order to better protect critical energy infrastructure from passing wildfires that start outside of the right of way. See Section 8502 of H.R. 2.
• Fully remove what the Obama Administration called the potentially “crippling” impacts of the Cottonwood decision by applying to the “new information” trigger under the Endangered Species Act the same reforms that recent appropriations legislation established for the listing of species and designation of critical habitat. See H.R. 6567.
•   Fully Empower states to have a greater role in cross boundary management and codify the Landscape Scale Restoration program. See S. 962 as well as Sections 8104 and 8509 of H.R. 2.
• Exempt Alaska from the 2001 'Roadless Rule' and thereby boost forestry in several National Forest System units in which it has been artificially suppressed.  See Section 8337 of H.R. 2.
• Allow new opportunities to conduct hazardous fuel removal on landscapes that cross federal, state, county and private property. See Section 8332 of H.R. 2.

 
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
 
###
 
 

By Melinda Myers
The pantry is full of fall favorites like squash, onions and potatoes, but busy schedules may have you finding a few things growing in the back of your cupboard. With little effort and a pinch of creativity you can grow these into a very imaginative indoor garden.  
Kids and adults love to watch kitchen discards grow into new plants. According to KidsGardening.org, a national nonprofit, these types of activities improve nutritional knowledge, enhance social emotional learning, and environmental stewardship. Here are just a few projects to get you started:
Sweet Potatoes
Convert sprouted sweet potatoes into beautiful indoor houseplants. Set in a container of well-drained potting mix, so the growing point is just below the soil surface. Grow your new plant in a sunny window and water thoroughly as needed. Watch as the heart-shaped leaves appear, and the plant grows into a vine.
To see what goes on below ground, try growing your sweet potato in water.  Insert three or four toothpicks around the middle of the sweet potato.  Set the toothpicks on the lip of a water-filled glass.  Keep the water covering the bottom half of the sweet potato. Place it in a bright location, out of direct sun, and watch the roots and stems appear.
Pineapples
Grow dinner scraps headed to the compost pile into houseplants. Start a new plant from the top of a fresh pineapple. Use a sharp knife to separate the leafy top from the fruit.  Just leave the stem intact and scrape off any remaining fleshy fruit.
Remove a few of the lower leaves for easier rooting.  Set the base of the stem in a container filled with a well-drained potting mix and water thoroughly.
Place it in a bright location, out of direct sunlight, and keep the soil moist.  In a couple weeks, the plant should have formed roots and can be moved into a bright, sunny window for you to enjoy.
Avocados
Start your own avocado tree from the seed. Hard seeds like these need a little help sprouting. Nick the seed or soak it overnight to soften the hard covering, seed coat, so it can absorb water and start growing. 
Sprout your avocado seed in water by inserting three toothpicks into the seed about halfway down. Set the toothpicks on the lip of a glass with the pointed end of the seed facing up. Keep the bottom, the rounded portion, submerged in water to encourage rooting.
Or plant the seed in a container of well-drained potting mix with the top inch of the pointed end above the soil. Water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil moist. Then watch your seed sprout and grow into a wonderful tree.
Visit KidsGardening.org for more fun and educational activities. Adults and children will enjoy learning more about plants, gardening and nature through a variety of age appropriate activities.  If your children are involved with gardening at their school, the national nonprofit offers a variety of grants and practical how-to information.

Melinda Myers is the author of more than 20 gardening books and hosts The Great Courses’ How to Grow Anything DVD series.  Myers’s website is www.MelindaMyers.com.

Misunderstanding and misuse of automated technology could lead to a crashWALNUT CREEK, Calif. Sept. 26, 2018. More drivers are using advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) available in today’s vehicles, but many motorists do not understand how to safely use these new, mostly automated technologies, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Consumers recognize value in ADAS technologies — such as blind spot monitoring, collision warning and lane assistance — but many are unaware of safety limitations. For example, researchers found that nearly 80 percent of drivers with blind spot monitoring had incorrect assumptions about the accuracy of the technology, believing it could detect vehicles passing at very high speeds, or bicycles and pedestrians.
“In reality, the technology can only detect a vehicle traveling in the driver’s blind spot, and many systems today do not reliably detect people walking or riding bikes,” said Mike Blasky, spokesperson for AAA Northern California. “If a driver doesn’t understand how their technology functions, they might rely on that system to detect safety issues that the technology wasn’t designed to find.”
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety commissioned researchers from the University of Iowa to survey drivers who recently purchased a 2016 or 2017 model-year vehicle with ADAS technologies. Researchers evaluated drivers’ opinions, awareness and understanding of these technologies and found that most did not know or understand the limitations of the systems:

• Blind spot monitoring: 80 percent of drivers did not know the technology’s limitations or incorrectly believed that the systems could monitor the roadway behind the vehicle or reliably detect bicycles, pedestrians and vehicles passing at high speeds.
  
• Forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking: nearly 40 percent of drivers did not know the system’s limitations, or confused the two technologies- incorrectly reporting that forward collision warning could apply the brakes in the case of an emergency when the technology is only designed to deliver a warning signal. Moreover, roughly one in six vehicle owners in the survey reported that they did not know whether or not their vehicle was equipped with automatic emergency braking.
  

“When properly utilized, ADAS technologies have the potential to prevent 40 percent of all vehicle crashes and nearly 30 percent of traffic deaths. However, driver understanding and proper use is crucial in reaping the full safety benefits of these systems,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Findings from this new research show that there is still a lot of work to be done in educating drivers about proper use of ADAS technologies and their limitations.”

False expectations for ADAS systems can easily lead to misuse of the technology or an increase in driver distraction. In the survey:

• About 25 percent of drivers using blind spot monitoring or rear cross traffic alert systems report feeling comfortable relying solely on the systems and not performing visual checks or looking over their shoulder for oncoming traffic or pedestrians.
  
• About 25 percent of vehicle owners using forward collision warning or lane departure warning systems report feeling comfortable engaging in other tasks while driving.
  

“New vehicle safety technology is designed to make driving safer, but it does not replace the important role each of us plays behind the wheel,” Yang continued. “The prospect of self-driving cars is exciting, but we aren’t there yet.  Automakers have an ethical and important responsibility to accurately market, and to carefully educate consumers about the technologies we purchase in the vehicles we drive off the lot.”

As part of its ongoing traffic safety mission, new AAA Foundation research also evaluated the potential these popular advanced driver assistance technologies have in helping to reduce or prevent crashes. The findings show that if installed on all vehicles, ADAS technologies can potentially prevent more than 2.7 million crashes, 1.1 million injuries and nearly 9,500 deaths each year:
 ADAS Systems Crashes Injuries Deaths
 Forward Collision Warning/ Automatic Emergency  Braking 1,994,000 884,000 4,738
 Lane Departure Warning / Lane Keeping Assist 519,000 187,000 4,654
 Blind Spot Warning 318,000 89,000 274
 Total Potentially Preventable by all systems 2,748,000 1,128,000 9,496Despite the findings that show confusion about some ADAS technologies, at least 70 percent of vehicle owners report that they would recommend the technology to other drivers. The greatest proportion of drivers reported trusting blind spot monitoring systems (84 percent), followed by rear-cross traffic alert (82 percent), lane departure warning (77 percent), lane keeping assist (73 percent), forward collision warning (69 percent) and automatic emergency braking (66 percent).

These findings should prompt additional focus on the importance of educating new and used car buyers about how safety technologies work, according to AAA.
“Drivers need adequate training and effective educational resources that simply do not exist,” added Blasky. “AAA is sharing this new research with vehicle manufacturers and other stakeholders to help establish effective education tools that will benefit car buyers. If strong consumer education about vehicle technology was as much a priority as making the sale, we would all reap the benefits.”

Only about half of the drivers who report purchasing their vehicle from a car dealership recalled being offered a training on the ADAS technology. However, for those who were, nearly 90 percent took advantage of the opportunity and completed the training.

AAA encourages drivers to understand their technology’s features, functions and limitations before leaving the lot:

• Read your owner’s manual to learn what systems are installed in your vehicle.
  
• Be an informed buyer: Ask plenty of questions about the alerts, functions, capabilities and limitations of the vehicle’s safety technologies before leaving the dealership. Insist on an in-vehicle demonstration and test drive to better understand how the systems will engage on the roadway.
  

About AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a not-for-profit, publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by conducting research into their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. This research is used to develop educational materials for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and other road users. Visit www.AAAFoundation.org.

About AAA Northern California
We have a proud, 117 history of serving over 4 million Californians. We are more than our legendary fleet of tow trucks, auto, home, life insurance and travel services. Our mission is to make a positive impact in the communities we serve, offering smarter solutions that improve traffic safety and helping the public adapt to a fast-changing mobility landscape. Learn more at AAA.com.
 ###

 

• TVs and mattresses the most illegally dumped items.
• 1/4 leave their trash on a sidewalk.
• 25% would report a neighbor who illegally dumps trash.
• Interactive map reveals where most illegal dumping happens in America.

 
We’ve all seen it as we stroll down the sidewalk, drive down the highway, or even if we head to the park: ugly, abandoned items, such as furniture, old mattresses or appliances like washing machines, just waiting to become someone else’s problem, rather than that of the person who left them there.
 
Illegal dumping of trash is becoming an increasing problem in towns and cities, whether it’s because people are just becoming lazier and more thoughtless, or because they genuinely believe there’s a service which will come and take away their unwanted trash. But while we can all agree it’s a blight on our neighborhoods and green spaces, not to mention a financial burden on the authorities who then have to dispose of it somehow, how many of us are actually guilty of behaving like this ourselves?
 
Leading mattress review site, Sleepopolis, wanted to find out, so they surveyed 2,250 Americans to see if any would own up to doing it. And, quite shockingly, a quarter of Californians admit to having done so! 25% of residents in towns and cities across The Golden State have done just this – left their old, no-longer-useful possessions somewhere, rather than taking the proper and correct course of action, which is to arrange collection by the local authorities, or taken their trash to official dumping grounds.
 
State by state, Sleepopolis found that the worst culprits reside in Kentucky, with 43% of respondents admitting to having dumped debris illegally. While the most law-abiding were those from the Last Frontier State, with only 5% of Alaskans having admitted to this – presumably they are loathe to spoil their wild and rugged scenery.
 
To find out how the rest of America compares, check out our interactive map, https://sleepopolis.com/blog/illegal-garbage-dumping/ (click on ‘embed’ to host on your site)
 

LINCOLN- CAL FIRE investigators arrested Kyle Jeptha Bridgman, 30, of Lincoln. Bridgman was booked into Placer County jail on five counts of arson. Bridgman confessed to deliberately setting five fires in the Lincoln area of Placer County between June 19th and August 3rd, 2017.
A team of CAL FIRE investigators, identified Bridgman following the fires in 2017 and again this year. While investigating Bridgman, the team identified another arsonist in August culminating in the arrest of Gregory Scott Courtney, 30, of Yuba City.
In both cases, CAL FIRE was assisted by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Placer County District Attorney’s Office and the Placer County Probation Department in the investigation of Bridgman.
“I am so very thankful for the efforts of our investigators and assisting agencies.” said CAL FIRE NEU Unit Chief George Morris III. “The community is safer today because of their extraordinary efforts.”
Bridgman was arrested and booked into Placer County Jail. Bail is set at one hundred and sixty thousand dollars.
### 

​

Fun for Kids Big and Little Along the Sierra Valley Art + Ag Trail
Organizers are encouraging families to bring children to the Sierra Valley Art + Ag Trail on September 29.
“This is so much more than a typical art show,” said event organizer, Kristi Jamason. “There are games, activities and all manner of farm animals to see, occasionally pet, and some you can even feed.”
Farm Animal Fun
Friendly Sierra Valley Yaks really love their snacks. Owners Greg and Jenna Gatto of Calpine have trained their herd of yaks to come running at the sound of the treat bucket being shaken.  For the Art + Ag Trail, the yaks will be visiting the Lost Marbles Ranch, waiting for admirers to reach into the bucket and offer a snack.
At the Lemon Canyon Ranch outside Sierraville, organic Jersey cow Elsie loves to be fed green Sierra Valley apples, according to owners Kristina and Benoit de Korsak, who run the Sierraville Micro Dairy. Elsie will have her new calf, Léon, alongside her for the Art + Ag Trail, and a bucket of green apples nearby for help with snacking.
Local 4H clubs will have an “opportunity farm” set up at the Roberti Ranch site, offering visitors the chance to see and touch farm animals and ask questions of 4H members and their parents.
Harvey Farms & Forestry near Calpine will offer an opportunity to see alpacas, Pangora goats, several kinds of sheep, and their newest addition – Scottish Highland Cattle – while learning all about wool production, from animal to finished product. Visitors can try their hand at needle felting, spinning with a drop or support spindle, weaving, carding and picking fiber.
Autumn Produce Fun
If a trip through Lil’Megs Pumpkin Patch in Beckwourth doesn’t get you in the mood for fall, you are surely immune. Chock full of pumpkins, gourds and more, the diminutive Patch offers games, fun photo opportunities, fresh baked treats and a Lil’ corn maze for kids. Lil’Megs will also host artists, including Ingrid Burke of Elliptical Sunrise, who will have glass “gems” on hand for kids.
The Sierra Valley Grange knows how to leverage a mountain harvest of apples. In addition to selling homemade apple pie by the slice, the Grangers will have their apple press set up at the Grange Hall in Vinton and invite the public to try their hand at pressing apples into juice.
Kristina de Korsak, who runs the Sierraville Micro Kitchen, will have delicious pastries for sale and Fun with Fall Fruit activities at the historic Sierraville School site.
Trivia and Games
Also at the Sierraville School, Sierra County Historical Society member will be dressed in period costumes and will have “jumprope jingles,” museum artifacts to identify, and old-school classroom exams.
Stop on by the Feather River Land Trust’s Sierra Valley Preserve on County Road A-24 to test your bird brain with Plumas Audubon Society. Audubon members will have three games set up for feathered fun including a Grebe race track, a bird ID magnetic matching game and their “Jepbirdy” spinning wheel fun facts challenge. Audubon will also have species-specific nesting boxes for sale, so the fun and learning can continue back at home.

Art Activities and More
For kids wanting to express some artistic flare, Kristi Bell of Golden Poppy Goods will have mixed media art projects for kids at the Milton Gottardi Museum site in Loyalton. Also at the museum, volunteers will be running their 26’ x 8’ model train through a miniature replica of Loyalton’s 1940 Main Street area, with period dairy ranch, sawmill, box factory and timber cutting/logging camp scenes.
Passports for the Ages
The Sierra Valley Art + Ag Trail organizers expanded their passport activity last year to include a kids’ version. The event passport is a full-color booklet featuring beautiful photos from Sierra Valley. All exhibitors along the Trail have custom rubber stamps made just for them to stamp the passports, which are $20 and a fundraiser for the event.
“The first year of the event, kids were passing scraps of paper to the artists to get them stamped, so we decided to create a free ‘Junior passport’ with images to color and places for kids to collect stamps, too,” said Jamason. The Junior Passport features wildlife, farm scenes, quilt squares and more to color in the car ride between sites along the trail.
More Information
The Sierra Valley Art + Ag Trail is an event of the Sierra County Arts Council. The Art + Ag Trail will be taking place at 14 locations this year, with more than 60 artists and organizations participating. Visitors are encouraged to begin at one of three Trailhead locations – Sierra Valley Farms in Beckwourth, Sierra Valley Grange in Vinton and the Sierraville School – where printed maps will be available. Passports, dinner tickets and more are now on sale. Visit SierraValleyArtAgTrail.org for more information.
# # #
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Every day, thousands of parents and caregivers in California travel with children in their vehicle.    During Child Passenger Safety Week, September 23-29, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will work with its traffic safety partners throughout the state to make sure all children are riding safely.
 
In a nationwide study, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that two out of three car seats are misused.  Motor vehicle collisions are a leading killer of children, and NHTSA data shows that such fatalities are on the rise, with 2016 being the deadliest for children under the age of 13 riding in vehicles. 
 
Parents and caregivers can prevent such tragedies by learning the proper use of car seats, booster seats, and seat belts.  For example, NHTSA has reported one-fourth of children age four to seven are using seat belts when they should still be riding in booster seats.  Child passenger safety experts and the CHP advise that children be kept in an appropriate child seat until they reach the upper height and weight allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
 
California law requires that all children under the age of two, weighing under 40 pounds and under 40 inches tall, to ride in a rear- facing car seat.  All children under the age of eight must ride in the back seat in an age-appropriate safety seat.  Safety experts recommend that all children ride in the back seat until the age of 13.  For more information about child passenger safety, visit https://www.chp.ca.gov/Programs-Services/Programs/Child-Safety-Seats.  
 
“Children rely on their parents and caregivers to keep them safe during every single trip,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said.  “The CHP will help you make sure you are using the right car seat, installed correctly.  The consequences of misused or unused car seats can be disastrous.” 
 
At child safety seat events held statewide September 23-29, CHP Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technicians will provide safety seat inspections, education, and hands-on training for parents and caregivers.  September 29 is National Seat Check Saturday.  Free inspections by CPS technicians are also available year-round, by appointment, at any CHP Area office. 
 
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.
###

(Richvale, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after sending a letter to Agriculture Committee Conferees requesting they include strong forest management provisions in the final Conference Report of the Farm Bill. The letter was sent along with other members of the Congressional Western Caucus.
 
LaMalfa said: “Wildfire season is at its worst in California. The Carr Fire quickly became one of the most devastating fires in the history of the North State, and we have decades of poorly managed federal forests to blame. We shouldn’t view worsening wildfires as simply inevitable, and instead focus on actionable solutions. As dead trees pile up and fires become increasingly severe, responsibly thinning our forests is now more important than ever. It’s imperative that any final conference report on the Farm Bill contains strong provisions to strengthen forest management practices. The House has approved a selection of reasonable and uncontroversial recommendations, and we expect the committee to seriously consider these provisions in the final report.”
 
A signed copy of the letter is attached. The letter recommended the following policy adjustments be included in the forestry title of the final Farm Bill of 2018:
 

• Allow existing and any new Healthy Forests Restoration Act authorities to be used within Fire Regimes IV and V. See Section 8321 of H.R. 2. 
•  Facilitate the use of Good Neighbor Authority by expanding it to counties and tribes and codifying existing practices concerning the flow of contributions and receipts associated with these projects. See Section 8331 of H.R. 2 and Section 8624 of H.R. 2 EAS.
• Accelerate post-fire restoration and reforestation projects through either a new categorical exclusion or, at the very least, by applying Sections 104 and 106 of HFRA to post-fire projects carried out under the Forest Service’s existing Emergency Situation Determination authority. See Sections 8312 and 8334 of H.R. 2.
• Establish an Action, No-Action authority for Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments to reward, incentivize, and protect projects that are developed through a collaborative process with diverse stakeholders. See Section 8335 of H.R. 2.
• Apply Section 106 of HFRA (“balance of harms” and other policies related to injunctions) to all forest management projects, and expressly clarify that courts must find that plaintiffs are “likely to succeed on the merits” before enjoining a forest management project. See Section 8336 of H.R. 2.
• Establish and expand categorical exclusions for projects that restore watersheds, protect water quality, improve forest health, allow for critical response, address insect and diseases, and reduce the risk of wildfire. See Section 8107 and Sections 8311-8321 of H.R. 2 as well as Section 8611 of H.R. 2 EAS.
• Streamline approval of, and afford tribes greater authority in, implementing projects under the Tribal Forest Protection Act. See Section 8401 and 8402 of H.R. 2.
• Establish pilot arbitration authority and include litigation reform to more swiftly resolve disputes over important forest management projects. See Sections 301, 311, 811 and 812 of H.R. 2936 and (g) of Section 8339 of H.R. 2.
• Update extraordinary circumstances regulations in order to allow expedited response. See Section 8503 of H.R. 2.
• Improve consultation under the Endangered Species Act. See Section 8303 of H.R. 2.
• Establish a voluntary pilot program that would allow a participating utility to conduct limited, proactive vegetation management work outside of its right-of-way on federal lands. This mitigation work should be conducted at the expense of the participating utility in order to better protect critical energy infrastructure from passing wildfires that start outside of the right of way. See Section 8502 of H.R. 2.
• Fully remove what the Obama Administration called the potentially “crippling” impacts of the Cottonwood decision by applying to the “new information” trigger under the Endangered Species Act the same reforms that recent appropriations legislation established for the listing of species and designation of critical habitat. See H.R. 6567.
•   Fully Empower states to have a greater role in cross boundary management and codify the Landscape Scale Restoration program. See S. 962 as well as Sections 8104 and 8509 of H.R. 2.
• Exempt Alaska from the 2001 'Roadless Rule' and thereby boost forestry in several National Forest System units in which it has been artificially suppressed.  See Section 8337 of H.R. 2.
• Allow new opportunities to conduct hazardous fuel removal on landscapes that cross federal, state, county and private property. See Section 8332 of H.R. 2.

 
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
 
#

The Sierra County Arts Council is pleased to present The Discover Music program from the Reno Philharmonic in Sierra County Schools. These performances are designed to give the students a close-up look at symphonic music through performances, demos and fun participatory activities.  A Brass Quintet will play, demonstrate and interact with students.  There will also be a question and answer period. Our students will love these performances, which will give every student an opportunity to experience symphonic music.  Assemblies will be held in Loyalton High School Gymnasium at 10:00am and in Downieville School Gymnasium at 1:30pm, on Thursday, October 11.  These assemblies are made possible by support from the California Arts Council and from Sierra-Plumas Joint Unified School District.  Sierra County Arts Council is State-Local Partner with the California Arts Council.  For more information visit our website: www.sierracountyartscouncil.org

​

​There will be two Hunter Education classes offered this October by Erin Folchi and John Rickman.  One is a Home Study Class offered on Sunday, October 7, 1:00 PM,  at the Sierra Valley Gun Club just off of A24. In order to qualify for this class, you must study at home and come to class with either a voucher from the Hunter-Ed.com website or a completed workbook. (These workbooks are available from Erin or John.) This Home Study Class is not recommended for youngsters. After a brief review, the test will be given.
The other class being offered is the traditional hunter education experience. It is a four day class beginning on Monday, October 15, and will continue on October 18, 22, and 25. ALL four classes must be attended in order to take the test.  In addition to the four classes, optional range time will be offered Sunday, October 21 at 12:00 PM. This traditional class will be from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM each afternoon at the Loyalton Elementary School.
In order to take either of these classes, students need to register on the Department of Fish and Wildlife website. Please call if you have any questions.
Erin Folchi  832-5266  John Rickman  993-4158

 
MINERAL, CA- With autumn, comes cooler temperatures, ideal for hiking, backpacking, and campfires under the stars. This month, park campgrounds and services begin to transition to fall and winter schedules.
 
“The fall season offers numerous opportunities for enjoying Lassen Volcanic National Park,” said Superintendent Jim Richardson. “This time of year, we encourage visitors to check the park website before visiting and be prepared for seasonal changes to park services and conditions.”
 
The Southwest Walk-in Campground offers year-round camping in the southwest area of the park. The Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The café and gift store are open daily through October 10.
 
In the northwest area of the park, Manzanita Lake Campground remains open until snow closure, usually in late-October or November. The Camper Store is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through October 7. The Loomis Museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and will transition to Friday through Sunday only on October 9. 
 
Warner Valley and Butte Lake (dry camping only) Campgrounds are open through October 23. Drakesbad Guest Ranch will wrap-up the summer season on October 7 followed by Juniper Lake Campground on October 9.
 
Autumn is an excellent time to participate in the Reach Higher Trail Challenge and earn a free commemorative bandana. This year’s challenge celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the National TrailsSystem, enacted on October 2. Lassen Volcanic contains all three types of National Trails: Scenic, Historic, and Recreation and a total of seven National Trails in or adjacent to the park. Share how you Find Your Trail in Lassen Volcanic with #Trails50 #FindYourTrail.
 
For more information, please visit nps.gov/lavo; contact the park at (530) 595-4480 or lavo_information@nps.gov; or find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, or Flickr as LassenNPS.
 

 
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Every day, thousands of parents and caregivers in California travel with children in their vehicle.    During Child Passenger Safety Week, September 23-29, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will work with its traffic safety partners throughout the state to make sure all children are riding safely.
 
In a nationwide study, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that two out of three car seats are misused.  Motor vehicle collisions are a leading killer of children, and NHTSA data shows that such fatalities are on the rise, with 2016 being the deadliest for children under the age of 13 riding in vehicles. 
 
Parents and caregivers can prevent such tragedies by learning the proper use of car seats, booster seats, and seat belts.  For example, NHTSA has reported one-fourth of children age four to seven are using seat belts when they should still be riding in booster seats.  Child passenger safety experts and the CHP advise that children be kept in an appropriate child seat until they reach the upper height and weight allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
 
California law requires that all children under the age of two, weighing under 40 pounds and under 40 inches tall, to ride in a rear- facing car seat.  All children under the age of eight must ride in the back seat in an age-appropriate safety seat.  Safety experts recommend that all children ride in the back seat until the age of 13.  For more information about child passenger safety, visit https://www.chp.ca.gov/Programs-Services/Programs/Child-Safety-Seats.  
 
“Children rely on their parents and caregivers to keep them safe during every single trip,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said.  “The CHP will help you make sure you are using the right car seat, installed correctly.  The consequences of misused or unused car seats can be disastrous.” 
 
At child safety seat events held statewide September 23-29, CHP Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technicians will provide safety seat inspections, education, and hands-on training for parents and caregivers.  September 29 is National Seat Check Saturday.  Free inspections by CPS technicians are also available year-round, by appointment, at any CHP Area office. 
 
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.
###
 
 

(Richvale, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after sending a letter to Agriculture Committee Conferees requesting they include strong forest management provisions in the final Conference Report of the Farm Bill. The letter was sent along with other members of the Congressional Western Caucus.
 
LaMalfa said: “Wildfire season is at its worst in California. The Carr Fire quickly became one of the most devastating fires in the history of the North State, and we have decades of poorly managed federal forests to blame. We shouldn’t view worsening wildfires as simply inevitable, and instead focus on actionable solutions. As dead trees pile up and fires become increasingly severe, responsibly thinning our forests is now more important than ever. It’s imperative that any final conference report on the Farm Bill contains strong provisions to strengthen forest management practices. The House has approved a selection of reasonable and uncontroversial recommendations, and we expect the committee to seriously consider these provisions in the final report.”
 
A signed copy of the letter is attached. The letter recommended the following policy adjustments be included in the forestry title of the final Farm Bill of 2018:
 

• Allow existing and any new Healthy Forests Restoration Act authorities to be used within Fire Regimes IV and V. See Section 8321 of H.R. 2. 
•  Facilitate the use of Good Neighbor Authority by expanding it to counties and tribes and codifying existing practices concerning the flow of contributions and receipts associated with these projects. See Section 8331 of H.R. 2 and Section 8624 of H.R. 2 EAS.
• Accelerate post-fire restoration and reforestation projects through either a new categorical exclusion or, at the very least, by applying Sections 104 and 106 of HFRA to post-fire projects carried out under the Forest Service’s existing Emergency Situation Determination authority. See Sections 8312 and 8334 of H.R. 2.
• Establish an Action, No-Action authority for Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments to reward, incentivize, and protect projects that are developed through a collaborative process with diverse stakeholders. See Section 8335 of H.R. 2.
• Apply Section 106 of HFRA (“balance of harms” and other policies related to injunctions) to all forest management projects, and expressly clarify that courts must find that plaintiffs are “likely to succeed on the merits” before enjoining a forest management project. See Section 8336 of H.R. 2.
• Establish and expand categorical exclusions for projects that restore watersheds, protect water quality, improve forest health, allow for critical response, address insect and diseases, and reduce the risk of wildfire. See Section 8107 and Sections 8311-8321 of H.R. 2 as well as Section 8611 of H.R. 2 EAS.
• Streamline approval of, and afford tribes greater authority in, implementing projects under the Tribal Forest Protection Act. See Section 8401 and 8402 of H.R. 2.
• Establish pilot arbitration authority and include litigation reform to more swiftly resolve disputes over important forest management projects. See Sections 301, 311, 811 and 812 of H.R. 2936 and (g) of Section 8339 of H.R. 2.
• Update extraordinary circumstances regulations in order to allow expedited response. See Section 8503 of H.R. 2.
• Improve consultation under the Endangered Species Act. See Section 8303 of H.R. 2.
• Establish a voluntary pilot program that would allow a participating utility to conduct limited, proactive vegetation management work outside of its right-of-way on federal lands. This mitigation work should be conducted at the expense of the participating utility in order to better protect critical energy infrastructure from passing wildfires that start outside of the right of way. See Section 8502 of H.R. 2.
• Fully remove what the Obama Administration called the potentially “crippling” impacts of the Cottonwood decision by applying to the “new information” trigger under the Endangered Species Act the same reforms that recent appropriations legislation established for the listing of species and designation of critical habitat. See H.R. 6567.
•   Fully Empower states to have a greater role in cross boundary management and codify the Landscape Scale Restoration program. See S. 962 as well as Sections 8104 and 8509 of H.R. 2.
• Exempt Alaska from the 2001 'Roadless Rule' and thereby boost forestry in several National Forest System units in which it has been artificially suppressed.  See Section 8337 of H.R. 2.
• Allow new opportunities to conduct hazardous fuel removal on landscapes that cross federal, state, county and private property. See Section 8332 of H.R. 2.

 
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
 
#

On September 6th at approximately 4:15 p.m. Luis Francisco Camacho Era was driving his 2001 Freightliner big rig, hauling a flatbed trailer full of lumber, heading westbound on SR-70. He was just west of Old Mill drive when his ruck drifted onto the right shoulder. The front of the truck then hit a ditch and continued along the rock embankment on the north side of the road. Era related he lost control of the truck at this point and his truck went back across both the westbound and eastbound lanes. The truck collided with the guard rail on the south  road edge and overturned onto its right side. Following the collision Era exited his truck and awaited emergency services on the shoulder. Era sustained no injuries as a result of this collision and was wearing his seatbelt at the time.
 
On September 12th  at 11:25 a.m. Jacob T Taulbee, 27 of Vacaville and his passenger Elizabeth A. Arcamone, 24 of Vaaville were traveling southbound on SR-89 south of Calpine Summit in a 2018 Honda Accord at a stated speed of 50-55 mph when a deer entered the roadway from the west side of SR-89. The deer entered directly into the path of the Honda and Taulbee was unable to avoid a collision as the front of the Honda collided with the deer. Taulbee was able to safely slow the Honda on the east shoulder of SR-89 and the deer entered the wooded area on the east side of SR-89. No injuries were reported.
 
On September 19th at approximately 8:15 a.m. Tipton W. Moser, 61, of Reno  was driving his Peterbilt fuel tanker truck and tank trailer westbound on SR-70 in the curve prior to the Spanish Creek Bridge in excess of 40 mph. The truck and trailer were both fully loaded with gasoline and diesel fuel. Due to the speed of Moser’s vehicle, he lost control as he exited a curve, causing the rear trailer to tip over subsequently pulling over the truck tanker. The truck and trailer slid sideways across both lanes of the highway and collided into the metal guardrail at the end of the Spanish Creek Bridge and dirt embankment. This impact caused the vehicle to roll over and rupture both fuel tanks. As a result of the hazardous materials spill the entire highway was closed for an extended period of time.
 

SACRAMENTO, CA—The California Police Chiefs Association (CPCA) has endorsed Corona Police Sergeant Jason Perez for the Public Agency Seat of the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) Board of Directors.
“CalPERS is in trouble and needs Sergeant Jason Perez on its Board,” said CPCA President, David Swing. “Jason is the only candidate with a real plan to save the pension fund and ensure that police officers and all public employees throughout California will have a stable and secure retirement when their careers come to an end.”
Established in 1966, the California Police Chiefs Association represents municipal police chiefs and their agencies in California. Association members provide public safety for more than 26 million Californians. 
“I am deeply honored to have the support of California’s Police Chiefs,” Jason Perez said.  “One of the most vital tools these chiefs need to attract the best and most professional police officers to their departments is the pension benefit. As a member of the CalPERS Board of Director’s, I will work hard every day to ensure that the CalPERS pension fund is solvent and provides those who have paid into the system with the reasonable retirement they were promised.”
Jason Perez is committed to steering the CalPERS Board away from failing divestment strategies that have resulted in catastrophic financial losses for California’s pension fund.  Prior to the current Board makeup, CalPERS was 108% funded.  Today CalPERS is roughly 70% funded, resulting in employees across the state have had their retirements cut.
Jason Perez is a sergeant with the Corona Police Department and currently serves as the president of the Corona Police Officers Association.  Perez’s candidacy for CalPERS Board of Directors is supported by rank and file law enforcement officers and a large collection of municipal and county employees throughout the state of California.
###
 

Loyalton held its September Market on the 15th with a great variety! Many thanks to those who made the effort. Vendors are free. Next Market is October 27th when East Sierra Valley Chamber and Leonards provide a fun venue for the whole family. Come carve pumpkins, get face painting and enjoy a bounce house! It all starts at 10 a.m.

Ruby Burch and Bobby Wheeler offer handmade crafts at Saturday's Loyalton Market.

HOUSE PLANTS were offered by Kayte Lundee.

Release Date: September 14, 2018
Contact: Kevin Sweeney, kevin_sweeney@nps.gov, 530-595-6131
 
Lassen Volcanic to Waive Entrance Fee to Celebrate 25th Anniversary of National Public Lands Day
 
MINERAL, CA - All National Park Service sites, including Lassen Volcanic National Park, will offer free admission to visitors on September 22 for National Public Lands Day. “I encourage everyone to take advantage of this fee free day to explore and discover the beauty and recreational opportunities that Lassen Volcanic National Park has to offer,” said Superintendent Jim Richardson. “There is much for the public to experience and enjoy in the parklands and forests of northern California.
 
On September 22, thousands of volunteers will show their appreciation for our America's public lands by volunteering in National Public Lands Day activities. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of National Public Lands Day, the public is encouraged to participate in activities focusing on the resilience and restoration of our public lands.
 
Lassen Volcanic is excited to participate in National Public Lands Day through a number of activities. Students, teachers, and parents from the Lassen-Antelope Volcanic Academy (LAVA) Charter School will kick off National Public Lands Day activities on September 21. These hardworking volunteers will take part in an important restoration project to remove overgrown vegetation on Manzanita Lake Dam.
 
Other opportunities for volunteering will occur throughout the park. There is a need for volunteers to assist in making our park signs more resilient through cleaning and polishing. Visitors can help the park highway and trailhead signs shine by wiping down and polishing wayside exhibits and bulletin cases. Pick up and drop-off a small kit with supplies, instructions, and locations at the Loomis Museum or Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center.
 
There is also an excellent project to work with park biologists to restore native vegetation by removing invasive species. This is a fantastic opportunity to help the park, while working side-by-side with park experts in the botany and ecology of Lassen Volcanic. Volunteers interested in this opportunity should contact park staff by calling (530) 595-4480 or emailing lavo_information@nps.gov by September 20.
 
In addition to entering free on September 22nd, and helping Lassen Volcanic become more resilient, all National Public Lands Day volunteers will earn a free entrance pass to be used at a later date to show appreciation for their hard work!
 
National Public Lands Day is a Fee Free Entrance Day at Lassen Volcanic National Park and all National Park sites for all visitors. The other federal agencies not charging for admittance on National Public Lands Day include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Forest Service.
 
For more information, please contact the park at (530) 595-4480, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/lavo.
 
 
EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA
The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.
 

-

 (SACRAMENTO) – Today, Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 2564, a measure sponsored by the California Trucking Association (CTA), which will deter the use of non-compliant “glider trucks” in California by increasing the minimum penalty from $1,000 per violation to $25,000 for those caught operating these vehicles.
“Members of the trucking community have invested more than $1 billion annually to retrofit existing vehicles or purchase new ones to meet California’s strict air pollution standards and regulations,” said Shawn Yadon, CTA’s CEO. “Unfortunately, there are those who have sought to circumvent engine-retrofit mandates and continue to operate dirty engines by utilizing glider kits to disguise their old and outdated engines.”
Glider trucks and new trucks can look the same on the outside, making it extremely difficult to distinguish between non-compliant and compliant trucks without taking a look under the hood. Because glider trucks are cheaper to purchase and operate using non-compliant engines with a minimal penalty if caught, some truck owners have purchased glider kits to hide these outdated, polluting engines and skirt state regulations that others have spent billions of dollars to meet California’s air quality standards.
The significant increase in the penalty in AB 2564 is critical to ensure operators are strongly deterred from breaking the law by operating a non-compliant glider. The $25,000 penalty will help eliminate any economic advantage that using non-compliant glider vehicles current encourage. 
“Setting a minimum civil penalty for driving a non-compliant glider sends a clear message to those who might seek to break California law,” added Shawn Yadon. “More importantly, AB 2564 protects those truckers and fleets, who have invested billions of dollars in newer, cleaner trucks and engines, from any unfair business advantage by non-compliant competitors by leveling the playing field.”
The measure, which was authored by Assemblymembers Freddie Rodriguez (D-Chino) and Eloise Gomez Reyes (D-San Bernardino), sailed through the Assembly and Senate with near unanimous support from Republicans and Democrats, and will take effect on January 1, 2019.

 
 

​LOYALTON CITY COUNCIL met in special session to vote an urgency ordinance  prohibiting all commercial cannabis activity, both medical and non-medical, except for deliveries of medical cannabis and finding the ordinance exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.
Council member Joy Markum and Mayor Mark Marin thanked the community for its support. “You all mean a lot,” stated the mayor and added, “Sierra Brooks and outlying areas.”
From the audience Jeff Naughton owner of a cannabis medical dispensary business, Evexia Science in Truckee, who had taken out a business license for Loyalton, stated the ordinance was 4/5 majority even in a short council. He claimed he was trying to do it legally and go by the rules but they cannot have a vote that holds up.
City Attorney Steve Gross addressed Naughton stating 4/5 is 80% and 3 votes of the council is 100%. He said the council can act and the requirement is all three vote
affirmatively for the health safety and welfare of the community.
Not to drag it out, it was stated there’d been three major meetings on this subject, two with the public and one major council meeting, all with standing-room only.
Augustine from Evexia, verified the existing ordinance in Loyalton is reputing that. Gross stated it didn’t do anything and is not in conflict.
Public Comment included Sue McIlravy who questioned drug treatment.
Gross answered the ordinance does not affect treatment of adult facilities nor drug treatment. He said there is no ordinance that would prohibit that. John Evans stated Loyalton is all about raising cattle, sheep, alfalfa and kids, not an environment for cannabis and hoping to disallow cultivation in Loyalton. Staci Armstrong urged the council to pass the ordinance, not targeting adults but our children. Samantha Engle had just left the bay area for a better lifestyle and doesn’t want it here. Brooks Mitchell questioned  cottage industry which the city allows and Gross said it would cover them and ban cannabis everywhere in the city.
Joy Markum moved, Nancy Rogers seconded and Mayor Marin  agreed to pass the urgency ordinance.

 
QUINCY, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) urges the public to take extra safety precautions as water flows are increased the weekend of September 22-23 for whitewater recreation in the Rock Creek Reach of the North Fork Feather River in Plumas County.
 
This portion of the river contains Class III, IV and V rapids, which are only appropriate for skilled paddlers, and not appropriate for tubing.
 
The Rock Creek Reach is the 8.3-mile portion of the North Fork of the Feather River in the Plumas National Forest between PG&E’s Rock Creek dam and the Rock Creek powerhouse near Storrie.
 
Prior to the scheduled increase for September 22-23, flows in the Rock Creek Reach will be at about 450 cubic feet per second (cfs). On Saturday September 22 flows will gradually increase to 900 cfs by 9 a.m. The flows will be held at 900 cfs until about 2 p.m. on Sunday, September 23, then gradually reduced back to about 450 cfs.
 
The recreational flows are done in cooperation with American Whitewater and the Rock Creek–Cresta Ecological Resource Committee and are usually done four weekends a year in summer.
 
PG&E offers the following water safety tips:
 

• Sudden immersion in cold water can stimulate the “gasp reflex,” causing an involuntary inhalation of air or water. It can even trigger cardiac arrest, temporary paralysis, hypothermia and drowning. When faced with swift water, even the strongest swimmers may be easily overwhelmed.

 

• Many unseen obstacles can be lurking below the water’s surface. Swift water can make these obstacles even more treacherous. Guided trips for inexperienced paddlers are recommended.

 

• Recreating in PG&E canals and flumes is strictly prohibited. Stay out of canals and flumes, which are very dangerous due to slippery sides, sub-surface obstacles, fast moving water, and transitions to full tunnels and pipes. For more water safety tips visit:  www.pge.com/hydrosafety

 
 
About PG&E
 
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/ andpge.com/news.
 
 
-30-
 

By Harold Pease, Ph. D

The Federal Government requires colleges to commemorate Constitution Day, September 17, with some kind of a student activity to qualify for Title IV grant monies, which, if people really read the Constitution, they would find no authority for the grant.  The requirement is largely ignored.
Some years back I was asked to give suggestions for a meaningful constitutional program.  The assigned administer and I pondered several options none of which seemed fitting or particularly meaningful. Still, we should do something—constitutional ignorance is appalling and patriotism from those under 25 has not really been taught.  Now athletes making millions, because the document made it possible for their talent to flourish under freedom, refuse to stand when our national anthem is played.  These may not deserve the freedom that is still left from the document.
Where do we start?  Virtually no one reads the Constitution anymore and neither major political party feels particularly harnessed by it as the Founders intended.  Few college courses require it being read in full and few universities have a class specifically dedicated to it—not even law schools.  I know no one in my profession that actually had to read the entire document for a Ph. D.  
Should I talk about the total disregard of the list in Article I, Section 8 from which the government is limited in making laws?  The Founders created the list so that government could not rule wherever it pleased, as in other countries.  Or perhaps the 10th Amendment which strengthens the argument that all powers not specifically mentioned remain with the states and with the people which is flagrantly violated almost daily by a renegade, constitutionally inept, or ignorant congress.
Should I talk about the separation of powers created by the Founders where one branch made the law, another enforced the law, and yet a third adjudicated the law—a separation that we used to honor.  If I did I would also have to talk about the present corruptness of the separation.  For the last sixty years an unelected bureaucracy made most federal laws because Congress got lazy and allowed other organizations to fill in the details for them. Now called rules and regulations instead of laws, but they still exact a punishment if a business or individual is out of harmony.  Until the Trump Administration the Federal Register, wherein they are housed, daily added a half-inch thick of pages of new ones.
Also, I would have to mention that presidents make law by executive orders, most with no actual legislative authorization.  Signing statements, popularized by the George W. Bush Administration, distorted laws passed by Congress by effectively removing portions he disagreed with.  The Obama Administration created 34 “Czars,” a new level of administrators (purposely skirting Senate confirmation), to manage areas where no Constitutional authority existed.  To all of this Congress remained silent to the abduction of her power.
The Supreme Court also makes law by ruling in such a way as to give existing law new meaning never envisioned in its origin; or by giving its approval to law having no constitutional base—as for example national health care.  Justice Clarence Thomas admitted that some Justices attempt to ascertain what the Founders had in mind before ruling; others he said, “just make it up.”  This could be a college presentation.  Would enough students listen, or even care?
The notion of federalism that the states handle domestic issues and the federal government primarily foreign issues and that they are coequal (like a marriage) neither being master or slave to the other is gone; as is the Constitutional mandate that federal empowerment requires the consent of 3/4ths of the states as stipulated in Article V.  This might be a good topic but it would take at least an hour to explain and some quick student assemblage to fulfill the government mandated requirement would never do.  Besides this notion of shared and equal power was abandoned in the fifties and sixties and today the federal government clearly rules the states who now bow in near total obedience, their palms extended and tongues hanging out, for federal government grants in areas where the federal government has no constitutional authority to grant.   
States and colleges, like individuals, are addicted to the “free” money.  Try telling a student body that the “free” college tuition advocated by beloved socialist guru Bernie Sanders, and others like him, is totally unconstitutional without an amendment to the Constitution and see if you are allowed to finish your required presentation.
There are so many other topics one might cover. The distortion of the 2ndAmendment of the Constitution from an intended individual right to have a weapon, whether government approved or not, to only a collective right through a militia, now interpreted as the National Guard, which organization did not then exist.  Or, the mutilation of the 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th Amendments under the National Defense Authorization Act legislation passed by Congress Dec. 2012.
My point!!!  The Constitution is a foreign language to most and this ignorance has resulted in our being out of harmony so long.  Where do I start?  The perversions are almost numberless. Colleges supposedly do something to qualify for the Title IV grants, on or before, Sept. 17, but is what they do meaningful?  I very much doubt that any of the afore mentioned objections are mentioned.

 
Dr. Harold Pease is a syndicated columnist and an expert on the United States Constitution. He has dedicated his career to studying the writings of the Founding Fathers and applying that knowledge to current events. He taught history and political science from this perspective for over 30 years at Taft College.  Newspapers have permission to publish this column. To read more of his weekly articles, please visit www.LibertyUnderFire.org.