SACRAMENTO, Calif. – As California continues to experience climate-driven severe drought conditions, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is providing tools and resources to help communities and domestic well owners prepare for potential well outages and other drought impacts.

“Being ‘Well Prepared’ means that state and local agencies and well owners have an understanding of local groundwater conditions, can identify areas where drinking water supplies may be threatened, and know how to access assistance when it is needed,” said Paul Gosselin, DWR Sustainable Groundwater Management Deputy Director. “To meet the challenges of this current drought and future droughts, DWR is providing new and updated tools to help county drought leaders develop informed solutions that work best for their local communities.”
DWR, in coordination with the State Water Resources Control Board, has launched a new Dry Well Susceptibility Tool that identifies areas in groundwater basins across the state that may be prone to domestic well outages. This tool has been developed as a resource for local monitoring and early warning to help increase general awareness of where domestic water wells may be susceptible to going dry to help communities proactively plan for potential well outages.
DWR has also updated its Dry Well Reporting System, a user-friendly online system for reporting incidents of household drinking water wells that have gone dry due to drought impacts. The Dry Well Reporting System was originally developed during the 2012-2016 drought and based on feedback from counties, the system has been updated to directly and immediately notify local agencies, including county officials, water agencies, and GSAs, when household water supply well outages are reported in their region. The system is available in English and Spanish. DWR encourages local agencies who are responding to drought to sign up in the system (send request to: sgmp@water.ca.gov) so they can be notified whenever a dry well is reported in their county.
In addition to assisting with drought planning and response, both of these tools have value for local well permitting agencies and groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) as they navigate new well permitting requirements contained in Action 9 of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Drought Executive Order N-7-22, and new drought planning requirements contained in Senate Bill 552, passed by the Legislature last year.
With the hotter, drier summer months ahead, California is committed to planning ahead and tracking ongoing impacts of drought and working together with local governments and agencies to identify solutions to protect the health and safety of our communities.
“We cannot let our guard down when it comes to preparing for drought conditions and conserving water,” Gosselin said. “DWR will continue to invest in the latest technologies and data to help the state and locals prepare for and act to protect communities from dire impacts of drought.”

 
 
People v   Adam Jd Ebert (22CR0015)
 
On April 19, 2022, Adam Jd Ebert was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 14601.1, driving on a suspended license.  He was placed on 1 year probation and ordered to pay a fine of $1,409.00.
 
People v. Andre Mitchell Sallabery (22CR0006)
 
On April 19, 2022, Andre Mitchell Sallabery was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 23103.5, a wet reckless.  He was placed on 1 year probation, take a DUI class, 2 days in jail and ordered to pay a fine of $1,409.00.
 
People v. David John Schwiesow (22CR0012)
           
On April 19, 2022, David John Schwiesow was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 23152(f) driving under the influence of a drug.  He was placed on 3 years probation, 2 days in jail, attend a DUI class and pay a fine of $1860.00.
 
People v. Donald James Pennington (20CR0061)
 
On May 24, 2022 Donald James Pennington was convicted of violating Vehicle code section 23152(f), driving under the influence of a drug, Vehicle code section 2800.2, fleeing a peace officer, Vehicle Code section 21651, driving on the wrong way on a divided highway.  He is currently in custody in Nevada on unrelated charges.  He was placed on 3 years probation, 48 days in jail, ordered to take a DUI class.
 
 
 
People v. Ziev Avniel (21CR0050)
 
On May 24, 2022, Ziev Avniel was convicted of violating Vehicle Code section 23103.5, wet reckless.  He was placed on 18 months probation, 2 days in jail, take a DUI class and pay a fine of $1,409.00.
 
People v. Bobby Alvin Tarp (21CR0091-A)
 
On May 27, 2022 Bobby Alvin Tarp was convicted of violating Penal Code section 29800(a)(1), felon in possession of a firearm.  He was sentenced to 8 months prison to run concurrent with his current 2 year prison sentence from Yuba County.
 
 

Last week, the California State Water Resources Control Board voted to adopt emergency drought regulations while acting on orders from Governor Newsom. These regulations ban watering non-residential decorative landscapes and require water suppliers to activate their local drought plans and prepare for shortages of up to 20%. These measures will vary for each area across our state. While discussing solutions to our state’s water shortage, it is important to consider that only 10% of our state’s total water goes to household ‘urban use’, such as dishes, laundry, bathing, or what landscape watering people still have left after previous restrictions. Cutting 20% of this type of water use will only save us about 2% of the total water resource in the state. 

Meanwhile, the area that has yet to see any kind of meaningful reduction in usage is the one that has the largest allocation and uses 50% of our state’s total water: the environment. Fresh water is one of our most precious natural resources. It is essential to our lives, and that’s why we shouldn’t be flushing it out into the ocean. This limited resource would be far better served running through a hydroelectric power plant to produce affordable renewable energy and then used to grow food that is essential for human needs. Instead of utilizing our limited resources for good it’s being wasted and sent out to sea.

Traditionally, agriculture uses about 40% of our state’s water supply, although it is usually cut to less. This water goes far beyond the farm. Water allocated to agriculture travels throughout our state while providing wetland habitat and recreation use. The irrigated water is used to grow crops to feed and sustain our nation. Farmers employ workers to help them plant and harvest, and most operations work with financial institutions through their local bankers and lenders. The engineers, mechanics, and manufactures who build and maintain their equipment relies on their business. Truckers move the product across the country, filling up grocery store shelves, and are then purchased by consumers. This cycle is the foundation of our entire economy. A nation with food security thrives and allows other industries to grow and prosper. Without a steady food supply, we would be endlessly dependent on and indebted to other nations. Our technology, manufacturing, defense, financial, and trade industries would not look like they do now.
Facing the Infant Formula Shortage It is beyond belief that the United States, the land of plenty, is struggling to stock its shelves with infant formula. The fact that parents across the nation are unable to feed their newborns due to a formula shortage is horrifying and completely unacceptable. This inexcusable shortage has been created through bureaucratic regulations and unresponsiveness by the FDA as to the remedy, that shut down the largest formula producer in the nation for months and was exacerbated by poorly planned replacement supply via import policies or otherwise. It’s also extremely concerning that the Biden Administration admitted to having knowledge for months that this crisis would occur, and yet they failed to act until shelves were bare and chaos was ensuing. No parent should have to worry about their ability to feed their child. This national crisis calls for swift, immediate action to ensure that parents can get the formula they need as soon as possible. It’s actually embarrassing that we have to send military aircraft under an emergency to foreign countries to make a hyper-expensive food run, for baby formula due to incompetence at FDA and the Administration. . 

Recently, the House considered several bills aimed at fixing the issue. I voted in support of the Access to Baby Formula Act to allow the USDA to issue emergency waivers for WIC participants in the event of a supply disruption, such as is happening now. This bill temporarily removes agency regulations on the brand and quantity of baby formula that WIC participants can purchase. I also signed on as a cosponsor of the Formula Act of 2022, which would allow the United States to immediately import formula that meets our current nutritional standards, expanding the supply available here in the states and alleviating the strains of the shortage. I believe that temporarily importing quality infant formula is the best course of action until we can get our production plants up and running again to end the shortage.

Due to the ambiguous, poorly written, and fast-tracked language of the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act, I did not support this piece of legislation. This bill does not actually address the supply shortage, bring in product from other countries, or expedite the reviewal and reopening process of the shutdown plant; it only hands the FDA a $28 million blank check, most likely to be used on bureaucrat’s salaries. Without any clear guidelines on how that money will be efficiently and effectively used, coupled with the fact that the agency would not see the money for months, it is clear that this legislation addressed the issue in name only, likely as a political wedge. Additionally, this money will be used on top of the $11 million increase for infant health and nutrition they received in March’s Omnibus, after they were aware the shortage would occur if not acted upon.
While it should be inconceivable that an infant formula shortage would occur in the United States, we find ourselves here nonetheless. Every reasonable step must be taken to make sure our children are fed and healthy. That begins with fast acting legislation that allows for immediate relief on our supply chain and for our nation’s parents. My team and I are closely monitoring the situation and remain ready to support immediate and sensible solutions within my jurisdiction.

Sincerely,

Doug LaMalfa
Member of Congress

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) are gearing up for the hot and dry summer months as the state experiences a third consecutive year of severe drought.
California will enter the dry summer months with below-average reservoir storage and with the state’s largest reservoir, Shasta Lake, at critically low levels. The Sierra snowpack is essentially gone, and runoff into the state’s streams and reservoirs has largely peaked for the year.
“The overall water supply for California is still critical going into the dry summer months,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “DWR and its federal partners at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will continue to take a conservative approach to water management decisions to maintain storage, water quality, and water deliveries for millions of Californians. We need to be prepared for a hotter, drier future brought on by our changing climate.”
DWR and Reclamation are coordinating closely on water project operations and actions to address expected low river flows and temperature challenges this summer.
As a result of the ongoing severe drought conditions, DWR has finalized its decision earlier this year to deliver 5 percent of requested State Water Project (SWP) supplies in 2022. DWR will also provide water for any unmet critical health and safety needs of the 29 water agencies that contract to receive SWP supplies.
Reclamation is taking a similar approach to water supply allocation this year, given the critical conditions at Shasta Lake, the primary source of water for the Central Valley Project (CVP). Reservoir levels in Shasta were the second lowest on record on May 1 this year.
Most agricultural water service contractors will receive a zero percent allocation from the CVP this water year (with Friant Division Class 1 at 15 percent) and municipal water supplies for communities at the minimum levels for health and safety needs only.
“As the cornerstone of the Central Valley Project, we are working to conserve as much storage in Shasta Reservoir as possible, which is currently only at 40 percent capacity,” said Reclamation Regional Director Ernest Conant. “As such, we will be relying heavily on Folsom Reservoir to help with Delta water quality needs this summer. We are also working closely with state and federal partners to help protect endangered winter-run Chinook salmon.”
Among the actions to benefit winter-run Chinook is the installation of chilling units at Shasta Dam that will further cool the water coming into the Livingston Stone National Fish Hatchery.
DWR recently conducted aerial observations of Shasta Lake, Lake Oroville and Folsom Lake to capture still photos and aerial video of the lake levels at their seasonal peak. These photos and videos are available for use by media outlets.  
DWR will continue to preserve as much storage as possible in Lake Oroville, the SWP’s largest reservoir. Water releases from Lake Oroville will be prioritized to maintain Delta water quality, protect endangered species, and meet senior water right needs.
DWR and Reclamation have been operating the State Water Project and Central Valley Project under a Temporary Urgency Change Order since April that allowed for the flexibility to release less water into the Delta through June 30 and conserve limited stored water in Shasta, Oroville, and Folsom reservoirs. DWR and Reclamation currently project that both systems have available water supply to maintain Delta water quality through the summer.
The Emergency Drought Salinity Barrier along the West False River in the Delta will remain in place to help conserve storage and reduce the amount of saltwater intrusion into the Delta through the summer and fall. The barrier is expected to remain in place until November 30, however its continued need into 2023 will be reassessed in the fall.
Uncertainty still remains as summer approaches. Hotter temperatures, longer heatwaves, and wildfires could impact water management decisions. DWR and Reclamation will continue to monitor conditions and adjust as needed to navigate the severe drought conditions and plan for another dry fall and winter to come.
With that in mind, California is continuing to respond with a series of drought actions:

• Governor Newsom has called on all Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15 percent. He has also urged local water agencies to take more aggressive action to reduce water use through their locally developed Water Shortage Contingency Plans. Local agency decisions on water conservation are key to successful management of water resources.

• The State Water Resources Control Board has voted to require water agencies to move to Level 2 of their contingency plans, meant to address up to a 20 percent shortage of water supplies. The Water Board also voted to ban the watering of non-functional turf or decorative grass found around commercial buildings, industrial parks, and along roadways. DWR estimates that the ban will save hundreds of thousands of acre-feet a year, enough to supply water to more than half a million households for a year.
• DWR is providing direct community assistance for drought relief projects and to communities who need it most to address water supply challenges and help build local resilience. To date, DWR has awarded more than $406 million in drought relief funding to communities throughout the state. Additionally, the state recently announced $150 million in funding for groundwater sustainability projects in communities that rely on groundwater for their water supply.

Californians can now access current water conditions in real time at California Water Watch, a new website launched by DWR. This website will help Californians see their local hydrological conditions, forecasts, and water conditions down to their address or their local watershed. The site presents data from a variety of sources and allows the public to obtain a quick snapshot of local and statewide water conditions.

​

Following a one day trial, on June 1, 2022, Monique Cook, formerly of Loyalton, was found guilty of violating California Food and Agriculture Code section 31402, allowing her two dogs to run at large and attack 3 ewes and a ram.  The dogs also killed a lamb (“Sweet Pea”) and a chicken at the Loyalton High School Ag Barn on March 20, 2021.  The charge is a misdemeanor.
 
Ms. Cook was also found guilty of violating two Loyalton Municipal Code sections regarding allowing dogs to run at large and allowing dogs to trespass on farm land.
 
Four Loyalton High School FFA students testified at the trial about the attack and the injuries to the animals. Their advisor, as well as their veterinarian testified regarding the injuries and monetary losses due to the attack.
 
The District Attorney thanks the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office for their excellent investigation of this matter, as well as their follow up and concern for the students and the community.
 
Ms.Cook is set to be sentenced on July 5, 2022 at 1:30 p.m.

On May 29th, 2022 at approximately 11:00 a.m. David Nunley was traveling northbound on Peoria Creek Road riding a 2019 Ural BTM motorcycle with a side car, north of US Forest Service road 23N39 at an unknown speed. For an unknown reason Mr. Nunley lost control of his motorcycle which caused it to flip over trapping him underneath. At approximately 2:20 p.m. a passerby found Mr. Nunley trapped under his motorcycle. The passerby removed the motorcycle from on top of Mr. Nunley to render aid, but Mr. Nunley was unresponsive. The passerby called 911 and a search and rescue response was initiated. Plumas County Search and Rescue responded and located the collision at approximately 4:10 p.m. at which time Mr. Nunley was pronounced deceased at the collision scene.

This traffic collision is still under investigation. 

​

For several years, Labor Day weekend at the Plumas Sierra County Fairgrounds was filled with the good vibes and strains of top notch Americana music. Peter Rowan took the stage and a hush fell over the trees and mountains surrounding the stage. The weekend was filled with up and coming stars, as well as accomplished groups performing everything from bluegrass to 40's swing music. More and more people were anxious to sign up for a couple days of camping and jamming. Then, the crowd swelled to over 2000 people! Unfortunately, it wasn't the music they came for; it was two devastating fires that roared through Plumas County. Quincy was silent, save for the sounds of fire trucks and tired firefighters eating and sleeping.
 
In 2022, the mountains are still silent and God willing, there won't be the sounds of a fire camp. We plan on filling that silence once again on Labor Day Weekend with the Plumas Homegrown Americana Festival. Two full days of amazing musicians who have two years of pent up performances in them. Saturday, September 4 features two headliners; the Keith Little Band featuring Tristan Clarridge and the Bowties. The music starts at noon with top West Coast talent along with a few local performers. Sunday the 5th begins with a church gathering in Old Town featuring gospel music performed by the Plumas Homegrown house band, the Wildcat Mountain Ramblers. The festival wraps up Sunday night with the St. Gabriel's Celestial Brass Band performing Dixieland, jazz and New Orleans funeral music. Both days will be filled with popular festival performers like the Heifer Belles, Sweet Sally, Stone & Straw Band and Lilah Washburn & the Quincy Pickers.
 
Through it all, festival goers can visit Barky's Stage. Bring your instrument and jam with other attendees, listen to local musicians, shop for some special music items and just hang out under the trees.
 
One of the special treats that you can find at the Plumas Homegrown Americana Festival is the square dance gathering in the Tulsa Scott Pavilion. Top callers and cuers in the industry guide dancers in their patterns all weekend. The wood floor and hospitality make this particular gathering a favorite for dancers throughout Northern California and Nevada. Saturday night usually brings the Wildcat Mountain Ramblers into the Tulsa Pavilion to offer dancing to live music. It is truly a magical sight to behold as these dancers swing and twirl in their colorful outfits. Anyone attending the festival is welcome to come watch, and maybe get pulled into a square!
 
The full line up of performers and schedule are on the festival website; www.plumasamericana.com. Tickets can be purchased on line as well. Music festival tickets are only $40 until July 1 and then go up to $45. Tent or RV camping options are on the website. RV packages begin at $50 and tent packages at $30 with extra nights available before or after the festival. There is a special Sunday festival ticket available for $20 that is only available for sale at the fair office in Quincy.
 
Square Dance tickets have been reduced this year to $40 and include the Saturday BBQ and a souvenir. Dancers are welcome to take a break from dancing and take in a festival performance or two. The same camping options are available for square dance participants. Square Dance tickets are for square dancers only.
 
To anyone that has wondered what they could do to help out Plumas County after two devastating fires, the answer is simple; come have a party with us! A Labor Day weekend of clean mountain air, along with soul healing Americana music is just the medicine we all need.
 

 
SACRAMENTO – Today Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher released the following statement in reaction to CA Tax Foundation's annual report on new state taxes and fees.
“Despite a record state budget surplus and having the highest income taxes in the nation, the Legislature is considering 64 new tax proposals that total nearly $195 billion dollars in state revenue, according to CalTax’s annual Tax and Fee Report.

"This report shows that Democrats remain vastly out of touch with the effects of inflation and the cost of living with their proposals.

"California is already one of the most unaffordable states in the country, we need to stop trying to tax our way out of our financial problems and start spending more responsibly.”

Dr. Glenn Mollette 

Do parents in America want to spend every school day hoping and praying their children will not be heinously murdered? Do children want to spend their days constantly looking up to see who might be entering their room with an assault weapon? Do you want to walk the grocery store aisles wondering if someone has picked your store and this day to shoot at you? Do you enjoy sitting in a house of worship knowing that if a crazed gunman enters your location the exit doors are very few. Movie theatres are anticipating a major boost in attendance this summer. Can you go in peace knowing that your life could be in danger if someone enters with a semi-automatic weapon or an AR-15? 

The list of possibilities is almost endless as restaurants, sporting events, concerts, shopping malls and more are targets of those who plot evil rampages against innocent people. 

Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York are the recent locations of horrific killings of the very young and elderly American people doing everyday life – going to school and buying groceries. 

When will this happen at your school, grocery store, house of worship or any place else? At one time, Americans never imagined such horrors as many of us have lived to see. One mass shooting has led to another and another. Your school or church or whatever the event is must plan for an attack every time you gather.  If we do not try to protect the people at such events and gatherings, then we are throwing caution to the wind and subjecting people we love to the possibilities of being killed. 

What is the answer?  The Buffalo grocery had an armed guard. This was not enough for a gunman who had strategized and outgunned the security guard who gave his life trying to save others. One major problem is such an evil person has the element of surprise. They have surveyed the location. Innocent people are caught off guard. People may even be carrying weapons but might not even have the time to draw their weapon because the rapid fire of the attacker’s weapon takes that person’s life before he or she can reach for their weapon. What is the answer? Do we equip every teacher in America with a semi-automatic weapon? Should teachers and grocery store shoppers and ministers carry assault weapons at all times?  Do you want to put on your Sunday dress and then strap on your assault rifle so you might have a chance of defending yourself? 

State and federal lawmakers continue to wrestle with what to do. One suggestion is to take away all the guns. This might be okay until Russia or China invades us and we all have to fight. 

The local villain may find a way to order all the parts he needs online to assemble an assault weapon and you have no way to defend yourself. This possibility must be made illegal.

Evil finds a way to release hate and fulfill deranged fantasies. This does not mean we give up. Limiting assault weapons to people 25 and older, strict background checks, waiting periods and licenses is possibilities. Limiting all gun purchases to people over 21 is another possibility. Eighteen-year-olds use guns in the military but are trained and strictly supervised. 

Do Americans really need assault type weapons? Would we be willing to ban them if it would save an elementary school of children from a murderous rampage? 

It’s all too late for Uvalde, Texas families and so many more. State and federal government must make some real decisions. In the meantime, we have to protect ourselves. 


Hear Glenn Mollette every weekday morning EST at 8:56 and 11:30 on XM radio channel 131

Editor
-If you need to tweak or do a small edit for you paper or website that is okay. Please respond to this email if you need a picture for this column. Scroll down for additional biographical info or if you want to talk on your radio/tv program

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

take more time to teach our kids and grandkids what the day means

by John Grimaldi, editorial contributor at the
Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC]
 
WASHINGTON, DC, May 27 – Memorial Day is of great importance for those of us who lost friends and family members in armed conflicts. But it should also encompass the ranks of those who have even a milligram of remembrance of old friends and relatives who made the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of our country and our way of life. It defines us as loyal citizens of America who love the land of the free and the brave.
 
Oh, yes, it is the unofficial beginning of summer and that’s okay. Remembrance is not just about mourning. It’s also a way to relive the good carefree times we had as we grew older thanks to the soldiers, sailors and air men and women who traded their lives for that very purpose. Nothing wrong with that as long as we don’t diminish the sacrifices they made for us.
 
It was on May 30, 1868 that the first day of nationally observed remembrance in honor of those who lost their lives in battle took place in Arlington National Ceremony. It was called Decoration Day back then. 
 
However, by the beginning of the 21st century we came pretty close to forgetting that Memorial Day is just that, a memorial honoring America’s fallen heroes and heroines. In a 2019 Opinion article by West Point graduate Meaghan Mobbs she wrote that people have a tendency to forget the purpose of Memorial Day, pointing to a 2001 Gallup Poll that found that only 28 percent of Americans knew the actual meaning and purpose of Memorial Day.
 
Mobbs reminded us that Congress declared a National Moment of Remembrance to remind forgetful citizens what the day is all about. It called for "the people of the United States, in a symbolic act of unity, to observe a National Moment of Remembrance to honor the men and women of the United States who died in the pursuit of freedom and peace." It was to take place every Memorial Day at 3:00 PM local time. Its purpose: “to remember and renew the legacy of Memorial Day with greater strides made to demonstrate appreciation of those loyal people of the United States whose values, represented by their sacrifices, are critical to the future of the United States.”
 
A lot of good that did. Most of America’s younger citizens still don’t know what Memorial Day means. As Mobbs put it in her article, “We need fewer moments of silence and more moments of talking about service and sacrifice to our younger generations.  It is not in the multitude of silence that change occurs, it is in moments when thousands of men and women who’ve ‘borne the battle’ raise their voices in memory of those who have gone before ... If we are to truly honor those who gave their last full measure of devotion, we must be active, not passive, in our strides to impress those values upon the broad public.”
 
###

Schools and Local Communities Set to Receive $2.16 Billion
 
Sacramento – Today, the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) unanimously adopted the $136.3 billion in assessed property values of 339 companies within California, which include telephone, gas, and electric companies, independent power producers, regulated railroads, and intercounty pipelines. In the upcoming fiscal year, schools and local communities statewide will receive a total of approximately $2.16 billion in property tax revenue resulting from the Board exercising one of its core constitutional functions.
 
“One of the most critical functions the BOE performs annually is adopting property values assessed by the state,” said BOE Chair Malia M. Cohen. “California’s schools and local communities will directly benefit due to the BOE’s essential work and expertise.”
 
Whereas most property in California is assessed by County Assessors, the BOE is constitutionally assigned to directly assess certain public utilities, regulated railroads, and intercounty pipelines throughout the state.  Also, these properties are not subject to Proposition 13, and the BOE must annually determine the fair market value of the unitary property that includes improvements, personal property, and land.  The BOE develops the fair market value by considering market conditions, use of and income generated by the property, replacement costs, investments in the property, regulatory climate, depreciation, and other factors as of the January 1 lien date.
 
For fiscal year 2022-23, there was a 7.8% increase in the total value from last year in the amount of $9.9 billion which will generate approximately more than $156 million additional tax dollars.  County governments will use the values set by the BOE to levy the local property taxes.
 
The entire list of assessed property values and more information on the State-Assessed Properties Program is available on the BOE website.
 

 
The California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is the only elected tax board in the country, and it is comprised of four Equalization District Members and the State Controller. Since 1879, the BOE’s constitutional and statutory duties include the oversight of the 58 County Assessors to ensure assessment practices are uniform and consistent statewide. In addition, the BOE directly assesses the property of regulated railroads and certain public utilities, collects the Private Railroad Car Tax, and is responsible for the Alcoholic Beverage Tax and Tax on Insurers.  BOE’s critical role in property tax administration by promoting fair and equitable assessments protects the tax dollars that schools, local communities, and the State of California depend on every day.

By Ted Gaines
Word Count 563

Historic budget revenues present historic opportunities for Sacramento politicians to shortchange taxpayers.
 
And “historic” is the right word for California’s staggering tax windfall. Governor Newsom recently announced he expects the state to be sitting on a budget surplus of nearly $100 billion this year. That spare mountain of money equals the entire budget from the year 2000. It’s a barely fathomable number unique in California or any other state’s experience.
 
What is to become of this colossal cash pile?
 
The money should, by law, go back to taxpayers. The “Gann Limit,” passed overwhelmingly by California voters in 1979, put an appropriations cap in place for our state that forbids government spending from increasing beyond certain growth factor calculations.  The formulas are not well understood by most taxpayers but the concept behind the law is simple: Government spending can’t grow unchecked.
 
The spending cap dictates that revenues above the Gann Limit should be spent in certain, specific ways, including those rebates to taxpayers. In 1987, Governor Deukmejian refunded more than $1.1 billion to happy citizens because of this rule.
 
Not to belabor the point, but in today’s California, couldn’t taxpayers use a little break, especially since it’s mandated by law? Would a tax rebate help pay for six-dollar-a-gallon gas? What about electricity that’s 80-percent more expensive than the national average? Could families use a hand buying groceries in the worst inflationary period in decades, or maybe some help buying an $849,000 median priced home?
 
California families are suffering an affordability crisis, but government is flush with cash.
 
Although that may sound like a good arrangement to Sacramento, where they believe they know best how to spend other people’s money, it’s a disaster for people trying to get by in our state.
 
Sacramento should live up to the Gann Limit and issue the largest legal rebates to all taxpayers. Then the legislature and Governor should enact meaningful, permanent tax reductions so these surpluses – which come directly out of family budgets – disappear.
 
Will this happen? Deukmejian proved it’s possible to follow the law, but recent history doesn’t bode well. In last year’s budget, the legislature misclassified billions in spending, moving it out of Gann Limit calculations and robbing taxpayers of refunds. This budget trickery was simply illegal and wrong, and it set an ugly precedent I hope is not followed this year.
 
But big-spending politicians and their Progressive allies are aiming their sights at the Gann Limit, wanting not just to ignore it but repeal it altogether and go on a spending spree unmatched in the annals of state government.
 
California spends too much even with the appropriations limit. Giving free rein to the legislature and a Governor such as Newsom would be disastrous to our fiscal health. It would lock in unsustainable spending and guarantee a budget crisis at the next economic slowdown.
 
From crime to homelessness to wildfires to gas prices and housing costs, California government has failed the people in too many ways, all while growing larger and larger and getting more and more expensive. That’s not much of a bargain hard working families propping it up with their tax dollars.
 
Like Prop. 13, the Gann Limit protects taxpayers. That’s too rare in our state. This year, the legislature and Governor have a $100-billion chance to honor the will of the voters and do right by struggling citizens. Let’s hope they take it.

Senator Ted Gaines (Ret.) was elected to represent the Board of Equalization’s First District. He is a leading taxpayer advocate and is committed to providing trustworthy and transparent representation for nearly ten million constituents in 30 counties of northern, eastern, and southern California. For more information, visit www.boe.ca.gov/Gaines.
 

Dr. Glenn Mollette 

Decoration Day was observed on May 30th from 1868 to 1970 to decorate the graves and honor those dying in military service for our country. In 1971 Congress officially made the last Monday in May Memorial Day. 

 On this day, Americans take time to pay respect and decorate the graves of our military service Americans who died to keep America free. Because of them we can travel the country, have picnics, go to ballgames and more. 

For me, Memorial Day has changed. Memorial weekend was a big time of family gathering. I can still remember Mamaw and Grandpa, all nine of their children and the grandchildren gathering to eat, play, talk and laugh. But then Mamaw and Grandpa died and the reunions changed. One by one the siblings passed away.  Today, all nine of them and their spouses are gone.

The grandchildren are now passing away. This is my generation.   As I begin to think of their names it’s a surprising number. All five of my dad’s brothers and sister are gone. Throughout the years I’ve attended too many funerals.  This includes my wife of 27 years and our little stillborn baby. Memorial Day has changed. So many people I celebrated the day with are gone. It would be impossible for me to visit all the graves of all these dear people. They are scattered out between Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia and other states. 

When Memorial Day comes, I try my best to make the six-hour trip to decorate my deceased wife’s grave. Carole, who I married 17 years ago has deceased parents who are buried three hours away from where we live. It’s never easy. There are flowers to buy. The drive is not easy and we have those who are alive we want to visit. It’s makes us feel bad that we don’t have hours to go and spend at the cemetery and respect those we loved.

 Sadly, there are so many forgotten graves of loved ones and American soldiers. The older we get the number of deceased people we know can become more than the living we know. 

Do the best you can. This is all any human being can ever do. There are graves you know you must attend to and others you will have to trust to other family members or friends. 

While we are trying to celebrate Memorial Day the right way, please continue to celebrate the living people in your life.  There is a story in the Bible where a friend of Jesus anointed him with expensive ointment while they were having dinner. It was her way of celebrating him and what he meant to her. Try to find ways to anoint people in your life who are meaningful to you. Buy them flowers now if you can afford them.  I hate to say it but it’s true – dead noses smell no roses. 

I’ve always tried to buy flowers for those I love while they can enjoy them. It may not be flowers but maybe it could be a nice smile. A word of thanks or praise for a person in your life would be meaningful.  One way you might make Memorial Day meaningful is celebrating those people you have in your life today because, as we know, it won’t last long. 

Back in February, my brother-in-law Harold was very sick and I knew his time was limited. My wife and I agreed we needed to go and visit with him. We had a good visit and a good talk. When I left him that day and we said goodbye to each other, I felt that it was truly goodbye at least for this life. He died just a couple of weeks later. 

Memorial Day has changed for most of us. However, try to make a good memory or two with those people who are still alive in your life. What you remember about those who have gone on is what you enjoyed while they were living. 

This Memorial Day weekend, be very safe and take time to enjoy the living. 
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(Nevada City, CA.) – Today, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R – Richvale) announced that he secured $6.6 million in federal funding for three projects throughout Nevada County.
 
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center will be awarded a $4.8 million Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Technology and Equipment grant for radio infrastructure improvements. Improved radio systems will decrease response times of first responders during times of natural disasters and large-scale incidents requiring multi-agency responses, ultimately increasing public safety.
 
North San Juan will receive a Fire Suppression System through a $1,050,000 United States Department of Agriculture Community Facilities grant. This funding will be used to install a 330,000-gallon water storage tank, pipeline and fire hydrants in the downtown core of North San Juan. The town currently lacks public water service and an emergency water pipeline for fire suppression.
 
CAL FIRE Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit will receive $750,000 for The Ponderosa West Grass Valley Defense Zone will be awarded through the U.S. Forest Service’s State and Private Forestry Landscape Restoration Program. This project was listed in Nevada County’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, the Plan and is ranked the number one priority project in the Nevada County Community Wildfire Protection Plan for Western Nevada County. These funds will be used for wildfire fuel reduction treatment on 600 acres of private lands which are currently overgrown with dense vegetation and at risk of an uncontrollable wildfire.
 
This funding was all secured by Congressman LaMalfa through the FY 22 Appropriations Bill as part of a community grants program.
“Public safety, fire suppression, and prevention are all at the utmost importance for the forested towns of Nevada County. These projects’ wide range of benefits will improve the safety of residents all throughout the county, and I am pleased that we could secure this funding that’s so worthy of federal support,” said Congressman LaMalfa.
 
"I'm thrilled to see this project funded for North San Juan and thank Congressman LaMalfa for his support. The new fire suppression system will give firefighters the tools to protect our rural North San Juan community. The infrastructure will provide new opportunities for downtown businesses that don't have access to a large, commercial water supply," said Board of Supervisors Chair Sue Hoek. "Infrastructure projects are costly, and this one has been a decade in the making. This is a huge win for our North San Juan community."
 
“Wildfire preparedness is our number one priority in Nevada County, and the Ponderosa West project is critical to protecting Grass Valley during a large-scale wildfire event," said District III Supervisor Dan Miller. "Congressman LaMalfa has really looked out for us by helping to secure this funding. Once Phase II is completed, we'll have a 1,000-acre park-like, shaded fuel break protecting our communities."
 
“This funding will be key to upgrading our significantly aging infrastructure and expanding our radio coverage throughout Nevada County. The upgrades will allow compliance with federal mandates while also improving our interoperability functions with other local, state, and federal public safety partners.” said Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon. "This project will be a game changer for our community and our law enforcement officers."
 
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.
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Some of the most radical COVID bills anywhere in the country face a vote next week. These will be major fights on the Assembly and Senate Floor.
Here’s where things stand with the “Vaccine Work Group” bill package:

• We’ve killed the three worst bills: the student vaccine mandate, the employer vaccine mandate, and the bill to defund police for not enforcing mask mandates.

• One bill, the dreadful measure removing parental consent, passed the Senate by a single vote. I’m confident we’ll kill it in the Assembly; in any case, a court has already deemed it unconstitutional.

• The remaining four bills – testing, vaccine registry, social media censorship, and medical censorship – now face a vote of the full Senate or Assembly. I will be speaking against both Assembly bills.

To advance to the other house, each bill must pass by next Friday, May 27. Passage in the Senate requires 21 votes and in the Assembly 41 votes. See a list of the bills and their status here.
Meanwhile, Democrat legislators are tweeting “Suspend the #GasTax NOW.” These are the same people who repeatedly voted against my bill. Next week, we’re giving them a chance to make good on their tweets: another floor fight.
We’re now at $6.05 a gallon while the national average is "only" $4.56. In so many ways, California is a preview of what's in store for America if we don't change course: mandates, inflation, crime, an open border, sky-high taxes, a government that never stops growing.
Elon Musk just said he’s voting Republican for the first time this year. He won’t be the only one.
Kevin Kiley
California Legislator
*You can still sign up for a yard sign or to volunteer at ElectKevinKiley.com. Thank you!

 
Opening tomorrow, Friday, May 20, are numerous sites in the Feather River Canyon, Lake Davis Recreation Area, Frenchman Lake, Antelope Lake Recreation Area, Bucks Lake Recreation Area, and isolated sites on the Beckwourth and Mount Hough Ranger District operated by Outdoors in Plumas as a concessionaire under permit with the Plumas National Forest.
 
More information on sites managed by Outdoors in Plumas is available at www.outdoorsinplumas.com.
 
Forest recreation specialists are opening Wyandotte Campground at Little Grass Valley Recreation Area, as well as sites in Sly Creek and Strawberry Campgrounds in the Sly Creek Recreation Area on May 22.
 
Forest visitors should be aware of closures and current conditions when planning a trip.  More information about recreation opportunities on the Plumas National Forest can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/plumas.
 
Despite recent storms, fuel conditions remain extremely dry in the forest.  Area residents and visitors are asked to use caution with anything that could spark a wildfire and to ensure campfires are dead out and cold to the touch before leaving.
 

Motorists Should Expect Travel Delays in Work Zones
 
TRUCKEE – Caltrans is alerting Interstate 80 (I-80) motorists to expect travel delays between the I-80/State Routes 89/267 interchange and the Donner Pass Road Overcrossing (Exit 184) in Truckee for continued roadway construction activities.
 
From 8 p.m. Sunday, May 22 through 5 a.m. Friday, May 27 the #1 (left) lane of I-80 westbound will be closed around the clock for drainage work in the median. Due to the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, work will be restricted for the long weekend, with the #1 westbound lane closure resuming Tuesday, May 31 at 9 p.m. and continuing through 10 a.m. Friday, June 3. This lane reduction is anticipated to continue weekly Sunday night (8 p.m.) through Friday morning (10 a.m.) until the end of June.
 
In addition, eastbound motorists should expect intermittent lane closures beginning Tuesday, May 31 at 9 p.m.between the SR-89 south on-ramp and the Central Truckee off-ramp (Exit 186) while I-80 is re-striped for a slight shift of traffic lanes toward the median. Construction crews will be placing temporary concrete barriers known as k-rail along the right shoulder area in preparation for excavation work.
 
Construction activities are part of a $30.6 million project to rehabilitate the existing concrete on I-80 in Truckee, install a westbound auxiliary lane from the SR-89 south on-ramp to the Donner Pass Road off-ramp, install eastbound acceleration lanes from the Donner Pass Road on-ramp and SR-89 south on-ramp, improve drainage, and upgrade concrete walkways along ramps to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
 
Teichert Construction of Rocklin is the prime contractor for the project, which is scheduled to be completed in fall 2022. Weather, equipment availability or other unexpected events may delay or prolong the work.
 
The department will issue construction updates on Twitter @CaltransDist3, on Facebook at CaltransDistrict3and on the Caltrans District 3 website. For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans’ QuickMap quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or download the QuickMap app from the App Store or Google Play.
 

KEVIN KILEY, Congressional candidate is shown at the Gold Nugget Republican Women's meetiing Wednesday night with Stacey Estrada and Mary Ervin.

KEVIN KILEY was a featured speaker at the Gold Nugget Republican Women's meeting at the new outdoor dining area at Golden West in Loyalton May 18th.
Kiley earned his bachelor's degree from Harvard University, his J.D. from Yale Law School, and his master's in secondary education from Loyola Marymount University. His professional experience includes working as a teacher and an adjunct professor.
Kevin Kiley was elected to the California State Assembly in 2016 and has been reelected twice. In the 2020 election, he received more votes than any Republican in California history.
Each year in the Legislature, Kevin has declined the per diem allowance, giving up $40,000 in income annually. He also declined a pay raise granted to the Governor and Legislature in 2021.
Kevin told about his endorsement by former President Donald Trump, calling him “gracious enough” to meet after nine holes of golf and how they “hit it off.” Kevin read the President’s statement which called him a “conservative champion.”
He told the audience of his fights with Governor Gavin Newsom, including over the gas tax, the State of Emergency and the October 2020 trial where he won and the Recall when Newsom “pulled out all the stops” spending $70 million and telling how “battles have gotten bigger and bigger and worse and worse.”
He told how everything that’s gone wrong in California is going national all by design. He called California a warning to the nation and vowed to “fight Biden and Pelosi just as hard as I’ve fought Newsom.”
Under question by CTL assistant manager on illegal immigrants and forestry being the front end of fires, Kevin stated illegals should be deported immediately with the State Sanctuary bill. On forestry, he told how the budget has tripled in three years. “We sacrifice the most and get the least in return,” he stated. He talked in favor of the forest being properly managed, ladder fuels and brush cleared. He told how the State had done a tiny fraction of what needs to be done and how it’s lied. He was in favor of higher priorities and reducing regulations and called it a failure by both State and federal government. “Timber harvest plans don’t pencil out,” he said. He cited the Creek Fire near Shaver Lake and the Caldor Fire in El Dorado County where Fire Safe areas were spared.
Kevin talked in favor of biomass and how it lowers fire risk.
CTL Forest Management Manager Jeff Holland told how he is trying to rebuild cutting lumber and how the local area is not part of bioRAM. “The politics of bioRAM needs to stop,” he told the Assemblyman.
Jeff was also worried about vaccines for his grandkids. In answer, Kevin told how a “truly stunning radical proposition” to mandate every student be vaccinated had died.
Asked about the belief your vote doesn’t count and voter fraud, Kevin agreed since the recall rules changed in the middle of the recall and the new $35 million voter education contract was illegally given with no bid but stated “a lot of legislation is underway.” Fix California, election integrity, poll watchers and strike teams all have safeguards in place, he said, to give peace of mind.
 
 

Photo courtesy Stacey Estrada

Open to those with no acting experience- casting now!

The casting team for a new feature film - 1975 Music Therapy Film (Working Title) - is announcing a nation-wide casting call. They are looking to cast paid, speaking roles to play various characters in the film. The film’s director is committed to finding original and authentic new talent, and is therefore open to those with little or no acting experience. The roles they are casting include characters who have an affinity for music, so they are especially seeking musicians with particularly distinctive looks and personalities. The film is set in the mid-70s in California.
Production will likely start in Fall of 2022 in Los Angeles, CA. Travel and accommodations will be provided for all out-of-state talent. Pay will be union scale - $1056/day or $3,756 per week.
Online auditions can be submitted virtually by visiting www.tinyurl.com/NationalOpenCall and by filling out the online casting call form and uploading a video audition.
The casting team is searching for real, vibrant people of all ages. Those with interesting looks and natures should apply! More information can be found at MusicTherapyFilm.com. Anyone interested in more information should send an email to MusicTherapyFilm@gmail.com. 

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Sometime in our past, there was a big event called the county fair. It was a place where people from across the county came to gather, see old friends and show off their animals, preserved foods, hay and a drawing or photo. They ate food that you couldn’t get at the local diner, and drank beer that WAS available at the local bar, but it tasted better at the fair. They were entertained by musicians and magicians and acrobats and puppets and….each other. They could put all that food and drink at risk by riding machines that spun them around and flipped them upside down. It was a simpler time. It was the BEST time. Will we ever feel that way again?
 
Darn straight! We are pretty sure we remember how to do this and we’re giving it our best shot! The 2022 Plumas Sierra County Fair comes alive again this July 28-31 in Quincy, California. It’s been a long time since the young and old residents of Plumas and Sierra Counties have walked through the front gates to the sounds and sights of the fair. Let us remind you how it all works.
 
You come to the fairgrounds and park out front. It costs $3 per car, and we mainly use that as a fund raiser, so thanks for kicking in. Admission to the fair is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors/students (13-17 & 62+), and $4 for kids (6-12 years). You can buy weekly passes which is cheaper if you are planning on going at least two days. Once you get into the fairgrounds, you will see a good selection of food vendors, offering everything from mini donuts to funnel cakes, Thai BBQ to corn dogs. There’s entertainment from the moment you pass through the gates; steel drums, a mind reader, marionettes, Cisco Jim’s Cowboy Camp, and more. You will find the Imagination Gallery in the Mineral Building where you can play giant games, like Simon on a device taller than most fairgoers. A new presentation comes in the form of Powerhouse; high energy tap dancing and clogging act featuring professional dancers that have competed on national television. Probably one of the most popular acts to ever perform at the Plumas Sierra County Fair is Street Drum Corp, and they’re coming back. These guys have won national competitions and love Plumas County. Another “never before seen” show in Plumas County is the Pee Wee Stampede. They’ve been at the Texas State Fair for over 17 years and are rolling into Quincy for Fair Week. This highly entertaining show is a “hands on” method of instilling the cowboy ways to kids 3 to 6 years old. It’s a kid’s rodeo with music, stick horses and bulls, cowboy hats, chaps, rodeo back numbers, trophies and ribbons. Yeehaw!
 
The entertainment doesn’t end there. Come to the legendary Old Town Stage Thursday through Saturday evenings for live music; Walker and Willis on Thursday (or Willis and Walker, depending on who you’re talking to), Rickety Bridge on Friday and Rummy on Saturday. Since we’re bringing back the past, the grandstand will come alive on Saturday night with a live performance of up and coming country star, Jake Jacobson. By the time the fair gets here, Jake will have dropped two singles and has some major touring planned in the coming months. He has been touring around the country, but wanted to come back to his home county to perform for everyone after COVID and fires. Details will be announced in June. Of course, count on the popular American Valley Speedway race on Sunday night to top off the fair.
 
After decades of having the fair in August, we had to alter the dates to secure a carnival, but it’s OUR carnival. Wold Amusements has been serving our fair for a long time, but with all the upheaval, had to make arrangements that didn’t work with our schedule. It is of note that if Wold Amusements can’t be our carnival, we won’t have a carnival. They are the only outfit that is willing, and gladly so, to come provide the rides that are so important to our experience. By lining up two other fair; Trinity County and Lassen County, we were able to secure this great show for years to come.
 
Golden Tickets are back. For $90, you can ride all the rides, every day of the fair, as much as you like. Plus, there are a couple of coupons for discounts on carnival food and Midway games. If you won’t be going more than a day or two, you can purchase a carnival coupon for $25. It can be redeemed for $32 worth of ride coupons, or, you can exchange it for an all day ride wristband on Thursday or Sunday. Presale carnival tickets will be available beginning in June from these locations: Safeway, all Plumas Bank branches, Sierra Valley Home Center, Sierra Valley Feed, all library branches and the Fair Office.
 
It will all come back to you quickly, but here’s an important reminder. ANY fair is only a fair because of the competitive exhibits. Fairs show what a community has made, grown and raised. First, consider entering something in the fair for other people to see, and perhaps win a ribbon and a bit of money. Second, take the time during your visit to go into the Floriculture Building, the Home Arts Building, the Art Barn, the Junior Agriculture Barn and the Livestock Barns. See what your neighbors have made, grown or raised. Entering is easy; you can pick up an exhibit guide at any Plumas Bank branch, a public library or the Fair Office. Easier still, you can download the guide, or just the section you want, from the Fair website – www.plumas-sierracountyfair.net. It will tell you what you can enter, when to turn in the entry form, and when to bring your actual entry to the fair for judging and display. But wait, it gets better! The PSCF Foundation is paying for most entry fees, so entering is FREE to you. You still get the ribbon and the prize money if you win or place, but it costs nothing to enter. There are a few exceptions and those are covered in the guide.
 
There is so much more to come, so look for more information wherever you are reading this and on Facebook. The website is another great place for information as we get closer to the Fair dates of July 28-31, 2022.
 
This will be a “Celebration of Fairs Past” by celebrating the return of a fair in the present