SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent Tony Thurmond praised the recent adoption of new California Arts standards by the State Board of Education, stating it is a critical step in enhancing creativity in students and preparing students for California’s  “creative economy.” The last update to the state’s arts standards was in 2001.
“This was long overdue. Creativity and appreciation for the arts is important for all students to have a well-rounded education, exposing them to new ideas and perspectives. Arts education boosts school attendance, academic achievement, and college attendance rates; improves school climate; and promotes higher self-esteem and social-emotional development.” Thurmond said. “In addition, proficiency in the technology related to creative work is becoming an important skill for students as they progress into college and career.”
According to a 2018 report by the Otis College of Art and Design, California’s creative economy generated $407.1 billion in economic output and 1.6 billion jobs, resulting in $141.5 billion in wages earned statewide. In the Los Angeles region alone, the creative economy generated $198 billion in economic output with $59.6 billion in wages earned.  
In 2016, Governor Brown signed AB 2862, which directed California’s Instructional Quality Commission to recommend revised visual and performing arts standards. Shortly thereafter, AB 37 directed the addition of media arts as a fifth discipline.
            Adding media arts as a discipline addressed its diverse categories, including photography, digital imaging, video, animation, sound production, web design, graphic design, virtual design, interactive design, multimedia, and virtual reality. In addition to this new discipline, the new arts standards also update teaching approaches to the artistic disciplines of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts.
The state met with focus groups and later convened a Visual and Performing Arts Standards Advisory Committee of classroom teachers, and other educators. That group developed the standards using the National Core Arts Standards before being adopted by the California State Board of Education.
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The California Department of Education is a state agency led by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. For more information, please visit the California Department of Education’s website. You may also follow Superintendent Thurmond on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube






PASSWORD:cdecomm

WHAT: A regional gathering for community wildfire practitioners to share best practices and skills, and identify common challenges, needs, and priorities for collaboration.
WHERE: Gualala Community Center, 47950 Center Street, Gualala, CA WHEN: February 8-10, 2019
“The California Fire Safe Council and the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network (FAC Net) are organizing a regional event for community organizations from 16 counties around Northwestern California to come together and learn from each other the most effective ways to prepare their communities to be wildfire resilient,” said Tracy Katelman, Executive Director of the California Fire Safe Council. “We have around 60 people coming from Fire Safe Councils, Firewise USA sites, forest collaboratives, watershed councils and other local organizations, and fire adaptation practitioners and leaders working to prepare their communities for the eventuality of wildfire.”
This year’s gathering, Michelle Medley-Daniel explained, is based upon previous events held in northwestern California. “The purpose of the event is to create relationships and connections among fire adaptation practitioners from Northwestern California, to share best practices and skills, and identify common challenges, needs, and priorities to assist their communities in becoming more fire resilient.”
The event is intended to result in the following outcomes:

• ●  Create new connections and foster relationships among regional practitioners.
  
• ●  Share best practices and skills for fire adaptation and community resilience.
  
• ●  Identify common challenges, needs, and priorities.
  
• ●  Identify next steps in collaborative efforts and/or peer networking.
  The event is being co-hosted by the FAC Net, a national partnership that brings people together to advance the tenets of the Cohesive Strategy: resilient landscapes, safe and effective fire response, and fire adapted communities. This gathering will help connect community leaders in California with others around the country.
  For further information, please contact Tracy Katelman, tracy@cafiresafecouncil.org or Michelle Medley-Daniel, michelle@thewatershedcenter.com. For more information on the California Fire Safe Council, visit: www.cafiresafecouncil.org, and the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network, visit www.fireadaptednetwork.org.
  This event is supported in part by Promoting Ecosystem Resilience and Fire Adapted Communities Together, a cooperative agreement between The Nature Conservancy, USDA Forest Service and agencies of the Department of the Interior through a subaward to the Watershed Research and Training Center. It is cosponsored by the California Fire Safe Council, a leader in encouraging grassroots movements which make communities more Fire Safe, Firewise and Fire Adapted.
  

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AAA continues its Tipsy Tow service to ensure that impaired drivers stay on the sidelinesWALNUT CREEK, Calif. Jan. 30, 2019. To help drivers and their vehicles get home safely after the Super Bowl festivities, AAA Northern California is offering its Tipsy Tow service on Super Bowl Sunday. The service will start at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 3 and runs through 6 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 4.
 
“AAA wants motorists to plan ahead for a safe ride home if they are planning on attending a Super Bowl party where alcohol is involved,” said Michael Blasky, spokesperson for AAA Northern California. “But if your plans fall through, we encourage drivers, passengers, party hosts and restaurant managers to take advantage of our service, as driving while intoxicated is never a winning play.” 
 
Tipsy Tow provides a free ride home and vehicle tow of up to 10 miles for any driver, not just AAA Members. For mileage beyond this, motorists are charged a standard towing rate. To use the service, anyone who wants to ensure a safe ride home for an impaired motorist should call 1-800-AAA-HELP (1-800-222-4357) and state that they need a Tipsy Tow.

Services will not be provided to motorists requesting a tow to another drinking establishment, repair facility or any other location other than their home or a hotel if the motorist is, or plans to become, a guest. Other services not covered include requests to start a vehicle, flat tire change, gas delivery, taxi service and requests to transport more than two people with the vehicle.

AAA estimates that a first-time DUI conviction can cost a motorist more than $10,000 in fines, penalties, legal fees and increased insurance costs.

About AAA Northern California
AAA has a proud history of serving Members for over 100 years. The company is on a mission to create Members for life by unleashing the innovative spirit of 4,000 employees representing nearly 6 million Members across Northern California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska. In addition to legendary roadside assistance, AAA offers home, auto and life insurance, and extraordinary travel services. According to Via Magazine's Smart Guide, being a AAA Member can save you more than $1,200 a year. Learn more at AAA.com.
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https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/01/02/say_his_name_rip_cpl_ronil_singh_139054.html#comments-container

In the still of the last night of 2018, the silence of California Dems chilled the air and airwaves.
Border wall opponent Sen. Kamala Harris tweeted three times between Christmas and New Year's Eve bemoaning the plight of illegal immigrants and their children.
But not a peep was heard from Harris about the brutal shooting death of Newman, California, Police Department Cpl. Ronil Singh at the hands of a Mexican gang member illegally in the country and protected by the very sanctuary policies Harris champions.
Border wall opponent Rep. Nancy Pelosi decried the deaths of two illegal immigrant children on the same day Singh was murdered, bashed the government shutdown and, on New Year's Eve, promoted her upcoming MSNBC special.
But not a peep was heard from Pelosi about Singh, the suspected illegal immigrant murderer, or the arrests of a total of seven alleged accomplices -- all reported to be illegally in this country as well.
Border wall opponent Sen. Dianne Feinstein released a public letter to the Customs and Border Patrol agency on the day of Singh's murder to voice her "strong concern about the recent deaths and illnesses of children detained in Border Patrol custody, and to request a full accounting and a revised protocol to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future."
But not a peep was heard from Feinstein about Singh, no call for investigation of how the suspected murderer and his alleged accomplices arrived in the U.S., were able to evade arrest and detection, and who employed them, and aided, abetted, and sheltered them.
Neighbors, friends and co-workers turned out in full force for a candlelight vigil this week memorializing the dedicated, patriotic, compassionate, hard-working husband and father of a 5-month-old baby. But rabble-rousing liberal politicians, so quick to rush down to the border to exploit the migrant caravan crisis and sabotage President Donald Trump's efforts to keep America safe, were nowhere to be found.
How could any decent citizen not be moved by Reggie Singh, who broke down in tears while expressing thanks to local, state and federal officers upon the arrest of his hero brother's suspected murderer after an intense multiagency manhunt?
How could any public servant not be outraged by the revelations of Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson, who reported that Ronil Singh's suspected murderer from Mexico had worked illegally as a laborer, had known gang affiliations, and had two prior drunk driving arrests before the fatal traffic stop and attempted escape back to Mexico.
California's sanctuary laws, supported by every California Democrat and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown, barred local authorities from reporting the alleged cop-killer for his prior criminal arrests to ICE.
The priorities couldn't be starker: Open borders Democratic hearts bleed for those bent on undermining our sovereignty, while they turn blind eyes to legal immigrants like Indo-American Singh, originally from Fiji, who honored our institutions and enforced our laws.
Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson paid tribute to his friend and employee: "This is a man that loved his country. This is a man that worked hard for what he believed in. He believed in this community."
Singh was the true story of the American dream, brought down by the ongoing open borders nightmare. He cherished his family roots and heritage, but embraced the privileges and responsibilities of legally obtained citizenship as a fully assimilated American. And this is precisely why California Democrats won't say his name, acknowledge his sacrifice or investigate the policy failures that led to his death.
The silent Dems have spent 30 years obliterating the difference between legal and illegal immigration.
They've spent every waking moment since President Trump took office denying the chaotic consequences of sanctuary policies.
They've spent the past year demonizing law enforcement officers at both borders and across the interior, stoking fear and hatred of those who put their lives on the line 24/7/365.
To speak Cpl. Ronil Singh's name is to admit the blood on their own hands.
COPYRIGHT 2019 CREATORS.COM

​CHP:
On January 13, 2019 at approximately 7:13 p.m.,Candis Thomas, 31 of Portola was driving  a Jeep SUV westbound on SR-70 just east of the Sleepy Pines Motel. Thomas stated she was distracted and looking back at her chil in the rear seat and she allowed the Jeep to drift off onto the right shoulder. The Jeep drifted onto the north shoulder which was covered in snow. The Jeep continued in a westerly direction and collided with  rock wall and then a wood power pole. The Jeep came to rest on its wheels. Thomas and her two children exited the Jeep on their own. The owner of the Sleepy Pines Motel called 911 and reported the collision. Emergency crews arrived and Candis Thomas was transported to Renown Medical Center with a fractured left arm. Her hildren, ages 12 and 9, had no injuries.
 
On January 15, 2019 at 7:45 p.m., Larry Binns, 72 of Clio was driving a 1976 Porsche northbound on SR-89 toward the Plumas/Sierra County line. It was snowing and snow had accumulated upon the roadway surface. Caltrans had snow plows active and R-2 chain controls in effect for this section of highway. The vehicle was not equipped with snow chains and was not a four-wheel drive vehicle. He lost control causing the vehicle to cross over the southbound lane and leave the west roadway edge and down a steep embankment. The Porsche came to rest approximately 100 feet down the embankment upon impacting  a tree. Binns was not wearing a seatbelt and was injured during this collision. He was subsequently transported to Renown Medical Center in Reno with major injuries.

On January 24, 2019 at approximately 0715 hours, a 17-year-old Beckwourth, Ca resident was driving a 2012 Chevrolet pickup while pulling a 1994 Feather Lite Horse trailer with three horses.​ The driver's mother, Kim Grashuis, was seated in the right front passenger seat. They were driving southbound on SR-89, just south of Westside Road. Ruben Villa-Arroyo was driving a 2019 Freightliner 3 axle box truck on SR-89 northbound approaching the Chevrolet. The road surface was icy and a dense layer of fog had limited visibility to approximately 75'. As the Chevrolet's driver entered a right hand curve the horse trailer tires lost traction, swung to the left and into the northbound lane, directly into the path of Mr. Villa-Arroyos' Freightliner. The Chevrolet sayed in the southbound lane. Mr. Villa-Arroyo observed the out of control trailer and attempted to steer to the right, but  a collision could not be avoided as the nearly sideways horse trailer collided directly in the Freightliner's front grill, hood and windshield. The horse trailer was completely separated from the Chevrolet. Mr. Villa-Arroyo sustained fatal injuries as a result of the collision and was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency personnel. All three horses inside the trailer sustained fatal injuries. The driver and passenger in the Chevrolet were not injured an remained at the scene.
The collision is still under investigation by the Quincy Office of the California Highway Patrol. Alcohol or drugs are not believed to be a factor in the cause of this collision. For any inquires about this collision please contact the Quincy Office of the California Highway Patrol at 530-283-1100.

THE CROWD in the Loyalton Middle School gym during the 6th grade girls' championship game between Quincy and Portola Sunday, January 20th.

FIRST PLACE - Portola 6th grade girls

WINNING FIRST - LOYALTON 7TH GRADE GIRLS
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FIRST PLACE - Portola 6th grade boys.  Loyalton 8th grade boys also took first place.
​

8th grade boys' action as Braden Armstrong takes a shot.

The weather outside was snowy following Sunday's championship games.

Robert B. Charles, Contributor, Association of Mature American Citizens


Over coffee in diners and pasta in kitchens, Americans are saying one thing: Washington, grow up. They know most fellow Americans rise for work, act responsibly, and earn an honest living. Whatever they think of President Trump – who appears to keep promises – they disdain the know-it-all, self-satisfied, smug-as-a-bug Congress.


Last week, in an act of breathtaking hubris, Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) used her newly-reclaimed gavel and pedestal to simply disinvite a President of the United States from delivering the Nation’s Annual State of the Union address. Average Americans, whether they planned to watch or not, should be aghast. 


Never mind this tradition is constitutionally authorized under Article II, section 3, clause 1. Never mind, the speech is a mainstay – on the nation’s calendar since Woodrow Wilson’s in-person address in 1913, with 95 given in-person to Congress. Never mind the address is expected by Americans – and viewed around the world as a touchstone of our republic’s health. 


One person – Nancy Pelosi – pulled rank, declaring the speech will not happen. Every American – Democrat, Republican, or neither – should be asking what is up, and more specifically, what is wrong with this Speaker. The audacity of this act is almost beyond rational comment. Is there no respect in this House for history? For the office of the presidency? For the expectations of the American People? 


And why did the Speaker do this? Because the president insisted on 5.7 billion dollars to finance a barrier on America’s Southwest Border – to protect our health and safety. That barrier – a wall – aims to deter, prevent and slow illegal immigration and drug trafficking into America’s towns and cities. The President aims to protect the country, a labor that he is constitutionally sworn to undertake – just as Nancy Pelosi and her Democrat Caucus are. 


So the President asked 5.7 billion dollars be added to a one trillion dollar bill. Now, there are a million billions in a trillion, so the president is asking less than one percent of that bill – for the wall. Or less than 2 percent of discretionary spending in it (i.e. non-entitlement funds). But no, say the Democrats. And for a mule-kick in the teeth: No State of the Union.


Here is the interesting part. Forced to do so, this President just canceled the State of the Union. But last week, he took a constitutional shot at the Speaker, cancelling her “CODEL” by military plane to Europe and Afghanistan.


Mean? Disproportionate? On one hand, Senator Lindsay Graham (R-GA) called the spat “sophomoric.” And one has to wonder, where will this clash of constitutional prerogatives end? Probably nowhere good. Likely, Congress steps up to the President’s compromise, or he goes with a national emergency and initiates an executive transfer.


But look closer. Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats are showcasing the runaway privileges of Congress – and the President is calling them out. Not only are they not doing their jobs, they are having fun on your hard-earned money. What the President did – either intentionally or by happenstance – in denying Nancy Pelosi her free plane is shine a light on Congressional perks. There are many.
Here is what hard-working Americans often do not know. Congress takes tens of millions of dollars in free trips around the world every year, at taxpayer expense.  On the cheaper end, they use tax dollars for commercial flights. These (rather oddly) average $10,000 per trip. Members and staff in 2016 took 557 such trips, averaging $10,000 per person per trip, Europe to Far East. While overall costs are hidden, public reports record at least $14.7 million in taxpayer dollars in 2016 for these commercial trips. That will top $20 million this year, according to Treasury.


More often and mostly unreported, congressional delegation trips (so-called “CODELs”) and staff delegation trips (“STAFFDELs) use top-end military planes for these festive outings. There are hundreds of these annually, averaging more than $100,000 per trip – just for the plane. Onboard, they gets free drinks, food, security and every comfort. 


More, they big per diem money that allows buying extras, a host room where they stay, and no customs agent on return. Why do you think CODEL trips return late at night? No announcement? Reporters and cameramen are asleep, while members take their hauls quietly home.


These trips contain “down time” which is often spent shopping, purchasing everything from fancy foreign rugs and local handiwork to exotic foreign gifts. Most left unreported, that is your “fact finding.” Truth is, in floor debates, drafting legislation and in hearings, they use a Congressional Research Service report, most days. 


What of other perks? Members of Congress get $174,000 in salary, and half the year off (239 days to be exact). They get free downtown and airport parking, free gym privileges, free healthcare subsides, and a retirement plan that offers a $59,000 pension, versus average American’s social security of $15,000. They get free medical care downstairs in the Capitol, for all shots from foreign travel inoculations to the flu. 


It gets better. Until otherwise corrected, they are all exempt from dozens of laws, slander and libel on chamber floors to avoidance of Freedom of Information Act requirements. They are not required to comply with Occupational Safety and Health Act requirements, despite holding hearings on why others don’t.


Beyond that slush fund to pay off harassment claims – again using your money for their settlements – they are exempt from compliance with protections against retaliation for whistleblowers, posting worker rights, prosecution for retaliating against employees, requirements to train employees about workplace rights and legal remedies, or record-keeping requirements for workplace injuries and illnesses. Who is holding the hearings on those issues? Not Nancy Pelosi.
How can all this be, you might ask? Allow me to answer a question with a question: Who passes these laws? Who has the power to exempt themselves from OSHA to provisions of insider trading? Congress, of course. 


As Democrat-controlled House members grouse about White House security clearances, mark this too: No member of Congress is required to go through a full-field security check or to pass even a SECRET security clearance, before they can demand and see anything. 


Nor are they required to conform to traditional requirements issuing subpoenas. Rather than bound by standard federal practices, congressional processes are insular and self-set. Thus, Democrat counsel has been known to call Republican deposition witnesses and tell them not to comply with majority subpoenas. One would think Canons of Ethics, but not here.


So, as the Nation waits for the State of the Union speech that will not occur – since an untethered, unbridled House Speaker has canceled it, we might be inclined to ask: Where is the check on Congress, which seems not only against fences, but increasingly unfenced? When will rationality and accountability return? When will Washington grow up? 


Robert B. Charles was an Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former US Court of Appeals Clerk for Judge Robert Beezer, taught at the Harvard University Extension School, and currently leads a consulting group in Washington, DC.

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

 
Anyone who has taken the time to pay attention to themes of the Plumas Sierra County Fair, would see that they have been all over the map. Some have reflected the point in time of the Fair; like “150th Anniversary” in 2009 or “Come Alive in ‘75” for 1975. Others were calls to action; the first modern Fair in 1940 was based on the theme “It’s Your Fair, So Be There”. After that, it would appear organizers didn’t feel the need for a theme until 1952. At that time, there was a close connection between the Fair and the Plumas Chamber of Commerce, the former led by the legendary Tulsa St. Elmo Scott and the latter by Chet Peckinpah, both members of the Western Fairs Association Hall of Fame. That year features the first of several that promoted the economy and attractions of the County; “Lumbering Progress”. Although the use of themes was still sporadic, later years had similar motives; “Outdoor Glory”, “Natural Resources….Plumas County’s Wealth” and “Progress’n Plumas Style”.
 
History had its turn on many occasions. 1976 featured “Plumas Pride In Our Past, Faith In Our Future”, followed in 1977 with “The Old West At Its Best”. 1983 made a nod to agriculture and history with “Harvest of History”. And of course, the old faithful rhyming and word play themes seemed to be popular since the 80’s. “A Family A-Fair” in 1985, and “Bales, Tails & Happy Trails” in 2010. The past few years though, the Plumas Sierra County Fair Board has made choices that have given the Fair an opportunity to address issues that can educate and inspire our community. The 2017 theme of “Art to Ag” was awarded First Place among fairs with attendance of 100,000 or less on the West Coast, as well as being nominated as one of the top 5 outstanding programs of fairs of all sizes.
 
The 2019 Plumas Sierra County Fair Theme is “Show What You Grow, Share What You Know”. The theme acknowledges the Fair’s deep connection with agriculture by inviting everyone to enter what they have grown, or raised. That might include vegetables or flowers from your garden, or even a potted plant. The second part of the theme is more universal. It is our opportunity to share our knowledge with each other. Fair Manager John Steffanic says the Fair is not looking to do that in a passive way. “We would really like to tap the extensive knowledge and experience of our community, and offer that to anyone who may be interested.” He describes classes, workshops and presentations in every area of the fair. “I would love to find someone who may have travelled to another part of the world and has photos and stories to share,” Steffanic said, “Or, if someone wants to offer a quick class in how to play ukulele, that’s the kind of thing we are looking for!” He invites anyone who may have an expertise in something floriculture, sewing, cooking, painting, travel or even home improvement, to contact him at the Fair office.
 
“Everyone has a bit of a teacher in them,” he offered, “this is their chance to play that role.” Steffanic hopes to have dozens of topics covered during the five days of the Fair; August 14 through the 18th, 2019. Fair goers that attend classes will be given a “transcript” that will keep track of what topics they experienced. Who knows what sort of rewards await those that fill up their class schedules!
 
Besides the mentioned class offerings, the Fair is reaching out to all the schools in the area to help promote education any way possible. From having a county wide science fair to offering free entries for school projects, the Plumas Sierra County Fairs wants everyone in both counties to be touched by the gift of learning.
 
The 2019 Exhibit Guide is scheduled for release around the first week of February. “The exhibit guide is the portal to a successful fair,” declared the Fair Manager. “We are so strong in our Art Barn entries, but really need to see a significant increase in entries to the Floriculture and Home Arts Buildings.” Steffanic emphasized that the more entries, the stronger the fair.
 
In an effort to help improve the number of competitive entries, Fair U will make its return on Saturday, March 2 at the fairgrounds. This workshop features several classes on how to grow, raise and make projects to enter into the Fair in August. Further details on that event will be released later in January, but Steffanic urges everyone to mark that date on their calendars.