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June 2021 July 2020 June 2016 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 July 2013 June 2013 March 2013 February 2013 November 2012 October 2012 August 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 November 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 October 2010 September 2010 February 2010 January 2010 | Californians Speak Out at State Capitol, Urge Action to Speed Up Vital Water Storage Projects SACRAMENTO – A broad coalition of Californians including state legislators, farmers, farmworkers, business and labor leaders, water advocates, and others spoke out today at the State Capitol, urging the Legislature to act to expedite the construction of new water storage projects in California. “If the Legislature is willing to grant the Sacramento Kings arena expedited environmental review, then surely we should grant it to crucial water storage projects, which benefit all Californians,” said Assembly Member James Gallagher, R-Nicolaus, the author of Assembly Bill 311. “Once Water Bonds funds are allocated, the last thing we need are more delays. We must take action now to increase our storage capacity, and I am hopeful that the Legislature will listen to the voices of the many people who showed up at the State Capitol today to support expedited construction of these vital projects.” “No civilized society seeks to destroy its own food supply or economic strengths, but that’s exactly where government water policies in California are headed,” said Assembly Republican Leader Kristin Olsen, of Modesto. “Californians are demanding action to increase water supply so farmers can grow their crops, businesses can thrive, people can get back to work and families can lead healthy lives. Passing this legislation is critical to protecting our local economies and our quality of life.” During the rally, speakers talked about the importance of new water storage to increasing water supply in California. They noted that had the proposed Sites Reservoir in the North State been in place two years ago, 900,000 acre feet of new water could have been captured during that time. It is estimated that this would have been enough water to fill up a basketball arena 950 times. Assembly Bill 311 (Gallagher) would streamline the environmental review process for the Sites Reservoir and Temperance Flat water storage projects, thereby moving them out of government bureaucracy and into construction more quickly. The bill will be voted on in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on Monday afternoon. Although the California Water Commission is unable to release Prop. 1 storage funds until December 2016, Gallagher’s bill will ensure a more speedy construction timeline once funds become available. In 2013, the Legislature passed a similar bill to expedite the construction of a new sports arena in Downtown Sacramento. The ongoing drought is hurting Californians. It is estimated that over 17,000 people have lost their jobs and the State has suffered $2.2 billion in economic damage as a result of the drought. AB 311 is part of the Assembly Republican #GrowTogetherCA legislative package, which focuses on addressing the State’s critical infrastructure needs, like water, in order to spur economic growth. # # # Published: 04/27/15 National Electric Company Urges Safety During Spring and Summer May brings National Electrical Safety Month WACO, Texas (May 20, 2015) – During the storm season, rain, wind and especially power issues, all have an affect on homes. With May being National Electrical Safety Month, the service professionals at Mr. Electric want to inform homeowners about electrical safety during the storm, spring and summer seasons. “May is a great time to have National Electrical Safety Month,” said Dennis Teeuwsen, with Mr. Electric. “We still see plenty of rain through many parts of the country, so lightning safety needs to come into play. Also, many people will be using types of electricity that may have kept off for the winter.” Properly install outdoor lighting Outdoor lighting needs to be installed properly. Certain installations of outdoor lighting require the running of underground electrical cables. A licensed professional should perform all home electrical work. “Any time additional wiring has to be added to a home, whether it is outside or inside, a professional electrician should be called,” said Teeuwsen. Practice lightning safety Lightning can be damaging to all electrical equipment in and around the home. Lightning strikes can cause thousands in damages to electrical devices due to surges caused by electrical spikes. Take preventative measures by unplugging items such as tv’s, computers, game consoles and other home electrical items to prevent surges from ruining the equipment. Correctly plug in heavy-duty electrical equipment A dedicated circuit is used with the specific purpose of having its own circuit breaker in a home’s electrical box. Heavy appliances such as stoves and refrigerators should be connected to a dedicated circuit to cut down surges in the home. Understand GFCI and AFCI outlets Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets protect from ground faults. The outlets monitor current flow and turn off power if hazardous leakage levels occur. Arc-Fault Interrupter (AFCI) outlets provide added protection from potentially hazardous arc-faults. The outlets detect hazardous arc-faults and interrupt power. The AFCI outlet helps to reduce the likelihood of the home's electrical system from being an ignition source of a fire. For more information on electrical safety visit mrelectric.com. About Mr. Electric®: Established in 1994, Mr. Electric is a global franchise organization providing electrical installation and repair services. Recognized by Entrepreneur magazine among its “Franchise 500,” Mr. Electric franchisees provide these services to both residential and commercial customers at almost 200 locations worldwide. Mr. Electric is a subsidiary of The Dwyer Group, Inc., family of service franchises. For more information or to find the location nearest you, visit MrElectric.com. Published: 04/23/15 LOYALTON CITY COUNCIL - July 21ST LOYALTON CITY COUNCIL discussed Sierra County’s Solid Waste System Fee Increase Protest at its July 21st meeting. The City has six bills, for an increase of $640.08. City Hall/Fire Department has decreased $155.66 due to recycling, from $519.92 to $385.92. The park is up $267.64 from $521.48 to $789.12; barn/Senior Center is up $484.78, from $1836.50 to $2321.28; the sewer plant is up $21.66, from $93.54 to $115.20 for the City’s grand total annually of $3,611.52. It was suggested they haul garbage and would encourage the Senior Center to recycle. This is the third increase in five years. Ernie said some pay $80 a month to haul garbage and part of the problem is some don’t pay, like the trailer park. Brooks moved to oppose the tax, seconded by Ernie and approved unanimously. Update on the Senior Center repairs was one bid for the complete job and needing to find out what insurance will pay minus deductible. Mayor Pat Whitley said the $5,000 CDBG fund will pay the labor. Senior Center Board member Donna May said the labor would be more like $7,000. Board member Jeff Toraason thought discussion was premature; they need to find out the bid and what insurance covers. Published: 04/22/15 EAST SIERRA VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE - Looking for members! The Chamber is meeting Saturday, April 25th at Golden West Saloon at 12:30 p.m. New members invited! Come hear about the June 6th Car Show! Published: 04/22/15 Sierra County sees increase in foreign-born residents By Tim Marema and Roberto Gallardo Like most of the United States, Sierra County saw an increase in the number of foreign-born residents over the last decade. From 2000 to 2012, the number of Sierra County residents who were born in a foreign country grew by 84 people to an estimated 191, according to U.S. Census data. The percentage of county residents who are foreign born also increased during the period, from 3.0 percent to an estimated 6.0 percent. The findings could be important locally because a new study by the Daily Yonder indicates rural counties with a higher percentage of immigrants are doing better economically. The study looked at the nation’s 1,966 nonmetropolitan counties, including Sierra County. Nonmetropolitan, or rural, counties have no cities of 50,000 or more residents and don’t have strong economic ties to a county that does. The research showed that counties with a higher percentage of their population born in foreign countries generally had a higher per capita market income and more jobs. These same counties also tended to have lower rates of unemployment and better poverty than counties with a smaller proportion of immigrants. In Sierra County, the economic results were mixed throughout the period of the study. · Total employment grew by 1.1 percent to an estimated 1,533 full and part-time jobs. · Unemployment rose by 8.7 percentage points to 14.5 percent. · And the percentage of people living below the federal poverty line grew from 10.5 in 2000 to an estimated 13.1 in 2012. The county’s overall 2012 population estimate was 3,200, a decrease of 11.0 percent over the past decade. The connection between more immigrants and better economic performance did not surprise James H. Johnson Jr., a University of North Carolina business professor who has researched the economic impact of immigration. “What people don’t understand is that immigration is a selective process,” he said. Immigrants tend to be younger and healthier than the general population, he said. “They are risk takers by definition. For them, the glass is always half full.” But the demographic change can be challenging for smaller communities, said Daniel T. Lichter at the Cornell University Population Center. “Whether communities take advantage of the potential of immigrant communities to improve the local economy depends on local leadership and how well they respond to immigrant populations,” he said. The study is based on the 2000 U.S. Census and five-year American Community Survey data from 2012, the last year available when the study was conducted. The survey data is an estimate and has a margin of error that varies with county size. More details on the study are available at www.dailyyonder.com/immigration2015. Tim Marema is editor of the news site DailyYonder.com. Roberto Gallardo, Ph.D., is a Daily Yonder researcher and an associate extension professor at the Mississippi State University. The Daily Yonder (www.dailyyonder.com) is published by the Center for Rural Strategies, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Whitesburg, Ky. Published: 04/19/15 RCRC Applauds Two-Year Reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools California’s Forested Counties to Receive More Than $53 Million in Funding for Public Schools and Road Programs SACRAMENTO, CA – April 16, 2015 – The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) applaud Congress for their support of legislation providing for a two- year reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (SRS). Included as a policy rider to H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, also known as the “Doc Fix,” H.R. 2 will provide California’s forested counties with more than $53 million in SRS funding for fiscal years 2014 and 2015. The President signed the bill into law late Thursday. “SRS funding is critical to California’s rural counties, and we appreciate the reauthorization provided by Congress and the President,” said Lee Adams, RCRC Chair, and Sierra County Supervisor. “It’s now time to identify a long-term, stable funding source for forested counties and local schools to maintain vital programs, and avoid interruptions in services and operations.” SRS funding mitigates the impact to county governments from the reduction of timber harvesting on federal forest lands. Prior to this reauthorization, SRS expired on September 20, 2013, resulting in a loss of funding for 2014 and future years to support critical programs in local schools and forested counties across the United States. Earlier this year, 27 RCRC member counties adopted resolutions urging Congress to reauthorize SRS, outlining impacts the lack of funding has upon local schools and county road programs. RCRC Officers utilized these resolutions in federal lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. this past February. H.R. 2 also expedites SRS payments to counties by requiring the federal government to make payments within 45 days of the bill’s enactment. A detailed breakdown of California’s 2014 and 2015 SRS payment estimates can be accessed here. ABOUT RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA (RCRC) The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) is a thirty-four member county strong service organization that champions policies on behalf of California’s rural counties. RCRC is dedicated to RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA 1215 K STREET, SUITE 1650 SACRAMENTO, CA 95814 PHONE: 916-447-4806 FAX: 916-448-3154 WEB: WWW.RCRCNET.ORG For More Information: Justin Caporusso (916) 447-4806 JCaporusso@rcrcnet.org  representing the collective unique interests of its membership, providing legislative and regulatory representation at the State and Federal levels, and providing responsible services for its members to enhance and protect the quality of life in rural California counties. To learn more about RCRC, visit rcrcnet.org and follow @RuralCounties on Twitter. ### Published: 04/17/15 The Fire Fee Shell Game: You Lose! By George Runner, Vice Chair, Board of Equalization Word count: 512 Democrats in the California Legislature seem to be facing the reality that the fire tax they passed with the Governor’s help in 2011 is unfair. Californians who live in rural areas rely on a range of public services from multiple levels of government to combat fires. These residents already pay taxes to fund essential fire services. The original fire fee was a scheme Governor Brown came up with after diverting about $90 million a year in fire prevention funds to help “balance” the state budget. Residents have gained nothing since this shell game passed. Not a dime of fire fee revenues can be used for actual fire suppression — trucks, planes or hoses. The funds can only be used for “prevention” efforts, which seem to be few and far between. However, instead of simply repealing this onerous fire prevention fee, Democrats now want to replace a really bad policy with an even worse one. AB 1203, authored by Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer is currently awaiting consideration by the Legislature. The bill would repeal the fire fee, but replace it with a 3 to 5 percent insurance surcharge on all commercial and residential property statewide. The money collected from this fee would then be used to create a disaster response fund in the State Treasury. Right now, this proposal is nothing more than a massive tax increase designed to further fund government bureaucracy. The current fire tax brings in about $80 million a year in revenue to the state coffers. If AB 1203 were to pass, that number could skyrocket to $500 million or more a year. That’s a colossal difference. At a time when California is collecting record revenues, does Sacramento really need more of your money? For the month of March alone, revenues have come in $547 million higher than anticipated by the Governor’s budget. Based on a $1,000 premium, a small business owner could end up paying tens of thousands of dollars more for insurance. And if you’re a residential property owner, you’d get hit with an insurance surcharge as well. Why should Californians have to purchase additional insurance for something their tax dollars should already guarantee? Imagine having to purchase a crime insurance policy to ensure that local and state police respond to your 911 calls—that wouldn’t be effective or fair public policy, and neither is AB 1203. Protecting Californians shouldn’t require new taxes or fees; public safety should be first, not last, in line for spending existing public dollars. If the state’s emergency readiness lacks adequate funding, California needs to do a better job prioritizing the more than $100 billion in taxes that taxpayers are currently sending to Sacramento each year. Jones-Sawyer’s legislation requires a two-thirds vote. I hope both Democrats and Republicans will oppose this new tax proposal. It’s hard to imagine why the Legislature would replace a bad policy with an even worse one. Sadly, though, stranger things have happened in Sacramento. The Legislature should repeal California’s illegal fire tax not replace it with a massive insurance scheme that will make life even more costly for Californians. George Runner represents more than nine million Californians as a taxpayer advocate and elected member of the State Board of Equalization. To help inform California taxpayers, Runner has established a website, calfirefee.com, to provide the latest fire tax news and information. Published: 04/17/15 Keep It California PAC Rural California citizens vote to form a new multi-county, non-partisan political action committee called “Keep It California PAC” On Tuesday April 7, 2015, concerned citizens from throughout rural California met in Redding, California and voted to form a new multi-county, non-partisan political action committee. “Keep It California PAC was formed to represent the interest of all Republican, Democrat and Independent voters who oppose separation from California,” according to Keep It California Campaign Chair, Cindy Ellsmore. “Our mission is to advocate for better representation of rural California and to oppose breaking away to form a new state.” The Principal Officers for the Keep It California PAC elected at this meeting include: Cindy Ellsmore Campaign Chair Sierra County Kevin Hendrick Vice Chair, Spokesperson Del Norte County Rob Rowen Vice Chair, Campaign Headquarters Shasta County Dolly Verrue Secretary Siskiyou County John Mertes Treasurer Del Norte County Larry Marks Assistant Treasurer Siskiyou County “Keep It California is forming Local Coordinating Committees in every county where State of Jefferson proponents are active and has volunteers in 20 counties building these committees to monitor and respond to any incursions by Jefferson proponents,” stated Vice Chair, Kevin Hendrick. “Keep It California will provide material and financial assistance to these local efforts.” Hendrick was the director of the Keep It California campaign in Del Norte County which defeated the proposed State of Jefferson with 58% voting NO on an advisory ballot measure in June 2014. Keep It California will encourage local agencies to evaluate the financial risks and uncertainties before continuing down the wayward path to Jefferson State and will inform voters and elected officials of the disastrous consequences of separating from California. Most rural counties get back more money than local taxpayers pay to the State of California. “If we separate from California, our communities will lose millions of dollars in funding for roads, education, and social services for youth, families and seniors,” explained Cindy Ellsmore. “Jobs funded by the state through our schools, counties, parks, prisons, police and nonprofit community provide living wage employment which helps support our local economy.” Published: 04/16/15 FW Urges Natural Control Methods for Pesky Rodent Populations Rats, mice and voles are commonly sighted around homes and businesses this time of year. The Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) encourages Californians to let nature control rodent populations by actively protecting their natural predators - owls, hawks, falcons, eagles and vultures - rather than using poisons to eliminate pests. Environmentally friendly tactics (such as providing tall trees that raptors favor) will encourage these birds of prey to hang around your yard and remove rodents for you. Most raptors use the same nest for many years and some even pass from one generation to the next. Bald eagles are known to have used the same nest as long as 35 years. That makes them an excellent long-term control for rodent populations in the immediate area. During breeding season, a family of five owls can eat as many as 3,000 rodents! You can encourage them by hanging a nest box on your property, but please don't do that if you or any of your neighbors are using anticoagulant rodenticides. Remember that poisoned rodents can poison the predators, scavengers and pets that eat them! Even though the state Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have restricted public access to the most dangerous rodenticides, all rodenticides - including the types still available to consumers - are poisons that can kill wildlife, pets and children. More wildlife could be saved if people would use sanitation, removal and exclusion to keep rodents out of homes and reduce their numbers. Like most animals, rodents will congregate and multiply where food is available and they feel safe. The easiest way to discourage them is to remove or modify anything that could make them comfortable. Sanitation is the first step to controlling rodents. For example: Keep your home and yard neat and clean. Don't give rats places to hide. Remove objects and plants that rodents can hide under, such as wood piles, debris, construction waste, dense vegetation and ground-covering vines like ivy. Pick up fruit that has fallen from trees as soon as possible. Secure your garbage in a tightly sealed can. Seal water leaks and remove standing water that can attract unwelcome animals, breed mosquitoes and waste water. To remove unwelcome rodents, set traps in secluded areas where they've been seen or are likely to travel: close to walls, behind objects, in dark corners, on ledges, shelves, fences, pipes and garage rafters. In areas where children, pets or birds might go, put the trap inside a box or use some kind of barrier for their safety. Check traps daily and wear disposable gloves when removing rodents from traps. Place them in a sealed plastic bag then into your garbage bin for weekly collection. Wash your hands after handling traps or rodents, even when using gloves. Once you've removed mice and rats from inside the building, seal the entries they used to get in: openings where cables, wires and pipes enter buildings, and cracks or holes in the foundation, walls and roofs. Rodents can squeeze into holes as narrow as ½ inch diameter! Use hardware mesh and concrete, plaster or metal whenever possible. At the very least, stuff stainless steel or copper pot scrubbers, or Stuf-fit copper mesh wool into the spaces. All of these are sold online and at hardware and dollar stores. If you feel you must use "rat poison," please carefully follow the label directions for all rodenticides. Only use them in small treatment areas indoors or right against building walls in tamper-resistant bait stations, never out in open field or garden areas, where they're most likely to reach wildlife and pets. Much more information and practical advice can be found at www.wildlife.ca.gov/living-with-wildlife/rodenticides. # # # Published: 04/16/15 Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications to launch fiber network at Reno Collective Faster Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications to launch fiber network at Reno Collective Faster connectivity to help grow Reno tech & startup community April 8, 2015, Reno, NV: Cities around the United States are clamoring for the attention of large service providers, like Google Fiber, to provide faster Internet speeds. A new partnership between Reno Collective and Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications (PST) proves that this level of connectivity is already possible here in Reno. New fiber service at 100 North Arlington will provide Reno Collective with connectivity that was not possible at the location before with other providers. The connection will be activated just in time for the International Space Apps Challenge, taking place this weekend. The International Space Apps Challenge is a two-day hackathon where teams of technologists, scientists, designers, artists, educators, entrepreneurs, developers and students across the globe collaborate and engage with publicly available data to design innovative solutions for global challenges. “As Reno Collective has grown into larger locations, we’ve always been looking for ways to scale up our technology and we kept hitting a ceiling with our connection,” says Don Morrison, a member-owner of Reno Collective. “Fiber is already all over town but the issue was getting it from under the street and into the building and thankfully Plumas-Sierra was able to do that.” This new resource will be available to Reno Collective members and visitors, which includes many popular technology meetups and events including Hack4Reno, NASA Space Apps Challenge, RenoWired, Pixels of Fury and six software development meetups. Both Reno Collective and PST are hopeful that the service will create opportunities for new endeavors and projects that were previously constrained by slower network speeds. “PST’s partnership with the Reno Collective is hopefully the beginning of a trend. We are very excited about this opportunity,” said PST General Manager, Bob Marshall. ### About Reno Collective Reno Collective is a collaborative workspace for designers, creatives, technologists, freelancers and entrepreneurs. Opened in 2010, Reno Collective was the first coworking space in the Reno area and has since been heavily involved in developing Reno’s creative, technology, and startup communities. About Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications is an innovative provider of Internet and telecommunications services, continually striving to meet the critical needs of its community. PST was formed in 1987, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Portola, CA. Published: 04/09/15 UPDATE ON LOYALTON MIDDLE SCHOOL - LOYALTON'S NEW MUSEUM up-date to all of you Loyalton High School alumni who have so generously donated time and money to our effort to remodel our old cafeteria kitchen, located in the auditorium: I am happy to report, we are 90% done!! So far, it's painted, has new flooring, new cabinets, new curtains, new counter tops, etc. We did keep the old double sink, which weighs a ton. Just ask my husband, Craig, and Mike Buck, who lifted it back into its old spot . The old stove, donated by Earl and Rosalie Little, will be in by next weekend, and so will a used refrigerator. I am so happy to finally see the light at the end if the tunnel and I am sure you all will be happy with the results....."back to the 50's" look! The flooring we put in the kitchen would be great to continue into the auditorium, but, we don't quite have enough donations left over to purchase the product for the 30 x 50 room. Soooo, if any more of you Loyalton school alumni, or anybody, would like to contribute to the flooring ( my husband, Craig, told me he would donate his time on the weekends to install it), I would appreciate it. Make out the check to: Annie Terrasas, and in the "memo" space in the lower left hand corner, put "Alumni School project.” Again, I would like to thank all of you for your support, and if there are cars in front of the school, that means the doors are open. Stop in and check things out! Annie (Belli) Terrasas-Fassbender Published: 04/09/15 Governor Brown Directs First Ever Statewide Mandatory Water Reductions Following the lowest snowpack ever recorded and with no end to the drought in sight, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced actions that will save water, increase enforcement to prevent wasteful water use, streamline the state's drought response and invest in new technologies that will make California more drought resilient. “Today we are standing on dry grass where there should be five feet of snow. This historic drought demands unprecedented action,” said Governor Brown. “Therefore, I’m issuing an executive order mandating substantial water reductions across our state. As Californians, we must pull together and save water in every way possible.” For more than two years, the state’s experts have been managing water resources to ensure that the state survives this drought and is better prepared for the next one. Last year, the Governor proclaimed a drought state of emergency. The state has taken steps to make sure that water is available for human health and safety, growing food, fighting fires and protecting fish and wildlife. Millions have been spent helping thousands of California families most impacted by the drought pay their bills, put food on their tables and have water to drink. A summary of the executive order issued by the Governor today. Save Water For the first time in state history, the Governor has directed the State Water Resources Control Board to implement mandatory water reductions in cities and towns across California to reduce water usage by 25 percent. This savings amounts to approximately 1.5 million acre-feet of water over the next nine months, or nearly as much as is currently in Lake Oroville. To save more water now, the order will also: · Replace 50 million square feet of lawns throughout the state with drought tolerant landscaping in partnership with local governments; · Direct the creation of a temporary, statewide consumer rebate program to replace old appliances with more water and energy efficient models; · Require campuses, golf courses, cemeteries and other large landscapes to make significant cuts in water use; and · Prohibit new homes and developments from irrigating with potable water unless water-efficient drip irrigation systems are used, and ban watering of ornamental grass on public street medians. Increase Enforcement The Governor’s order calls on local water agencies to adjust their rate structures to implement conservation pricing, recognized as an effective way to realize water reductions and discourage water waste. Agricultural water users – which have borne much of the brunt of the drought to date, with hundreds of thousands of fallowed acres, significantly reduced water allocations and thousands of farmworkers laid off – will be required to report more water use information to state regulators, increasing the state's ability to enforce against illegal diversions and waste and unreasonable use of water under today’s order. Additionally, the Governor’s action strengthens standards for Agricultural Water Management Plans submitted by large agriculture water districts and requires small agriculture water districts to develop similar plans. These plans will help ensure that agricultural communities are prepared in case the drought extends into 2016. Additional actions required by the order include: · Taking action against water agencies in depleted groundwater basins that have not shared data on their groundwater supplies with the state; · Updating standards for toilets and faucets and outdoor landscaping in residential communities and taking action against communities that ignore these standards; and · Making permanent monthly reporting of water usage, conservation and enforcement actions by local water suppliers. Streamline Government Response The order: · Prioritizes state review and decision-making of water infrastructure projects and requires state agencies to report to the Governor’s Office on any application pending for more than 90 days. · Streamlines permitting and review of emergency drought salinity barriers – necessary to keep freshwater supplies in upstream reservoirs for human use and habitat protection for endangered and threatened species; · Simplifies the review and approval process for voluntary water transfers and emergency drinking water projects; and · Directs state departments to provide temporary relocation assistance to families who need to move from homes where domestic wells have run dry to housing with running water. Invest in New Technologies The order helps make California more drought resilient by: · Incentivizing promising new technology that will make California more water efficient through a new program administered by the California Energy Commission. ___________________________________________________________________________ U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) issued the following statement in reaction to Gov. Jerry Brown’s Executive Order imposing water restrictions on the state of California: “In 2009, water agencies throughout California predicted that the new requirements placed on our state’s water system would leave us with no water during a prolonged drought. Fishery agencies and environmental groups balked, claiming this day would never come. With the fourth year of drought upon us, these kinds of policies are hurting California farmers, families and the environment, as Governor Brown’s announcement today shows. Decades of inaction have finally caught up with California’s refusal to build new storage. Conservation alone isn’t the answer.” Published: 04/01/15 SPECIAL MEETING OF LOYALTON CITY COUNCIL MARCH 31ST A SPECIAL MEETING was held March 31, 2015 for the Loyalton City Council at Loyalton City Hall. Discussion and possible action regarding appointment of a Mayor was discussed. Current Mayor Brooks Mitchell stated his term would be over January 2016. Councilmember Mark Marin said some County officials indicated the City would get in their good graces if the Mayor was changed. Council member Pat Whitley stated January 2014 should have been Mitchell’s last year as Mayor and in January 2015 a new mayor should have been appointed. Mitchell said the Council chose to make him Mayor not Whitley and it bugged him that they wanted to make a change because county supervisors don’t want to work with him. Mitchell was worried about changing the Mayor with the City going to trial on May 5th and stated he’d signed seven depositions that morning. From the audience, Dave Bowling stated he follows things that go on with the City pretty well and said it was sad to see this turmoil going on. He added that good things were happening with the City but not when the Council is contentious. Whitley said people don’t elect the mayor, the council does. Bowling added the way the Mayor’s term is interpreted is very difficult. Another audience member, Burt Whittaker said to run it by the City’s attorney to have the policy looked at. Phyllis Mitchell spoke in favor of Mitchell stating that Mitchell does not bring up county business and does not talk about council members. She said Mitchell has integrity and character and what he is doing is not for his own glory. She added as a business Phyllis and husband Chet worked with Mitchell and stated he has honesty. Phyllis quoted a scripture in the Bible stating if you bite and snap at one another, you’ll devour one another. Whitley stood by the way she read the policy. Another audience member in attendance, Marilyn Whittaker, said she’d been here a long time and added that under Mitchell’s leadership he brought the City back to the black. She stated under his leadership it’s been for the city. Councilmember Marin stated the City should not have even been involved with cleaning up the hotel and said the City gave orders to clean it up. Mitchell asked Marin if he even read the report, adding the only thing the City did was pay Folchi to push the walls in. Whitley said the hotel was hurting the City immensely in the pocket book. Whittaker said the City has suffered because of the County, adding the City was better off without the County frankly and the City is moving along much better. Marin said the City has to work with the County and need to get along. Councilmember Ernie Teague said he’s made decisions he’s sorry for and does not like the many things that have been done. He finds it frustrating that too often the votes are 2-3. Teague said it splits the council and he doesn’t like it. Bowling told Teague part of legal procedure and that’s how it works. He said the point is when the vote is cast and final you move on. Bowling wanted to reiterate the positive things the council has done. Whitley said the City is trying to represent the citizens of Loyalton. She stated the main thing is to keep the City safe and keep the City monetarily with their head above water so they can swim. Mitchell’s brother Chet Mitchell said it saddens him there is so much backbiting going on from the City Council. He stated the Good Book says if a house is divided it will never stand, adding the City won’t agree on everything. Councilmember Marin made motion to appoint Pat Whitley as Mayor. The motion passed with Mitchell and Councilmember Betty Ferguson abstaining. Ferguson wanted to step down as vice mayor right then and stated she heard council members talking that since she is moving she can’t be on the council and she has a letter from the Attorney General for health reasons. Motion and discussion will be taken for Vice Mayor at the next meeting. Phyllis Mitchell said she’s heard the Council wants to shut down the project at the old middle school and wanted to know if that’s true. The Council said that wouldn’t happen. Published: 04/01/15 #1 Killer of Teens is 100% Preventable SACRAMENTO, Calif. - During California Teen Safe Driving Week from April 1-7, 2015, the California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Office of Traffic Safety, and Impact Teen Drivers will continue to emphasize the most deadly impact to teen drivers —reckless and distracted driving. Moreover, teens will learn that their number one killer is 100 percent preventable, if drivers and passengers make good decisions. “People are starting to understand that everyday behaviors, such as texting, eating, applying make-up, or reaching for something, can be lethal when done behind the wheel,” said Dr. Kelly Browning, Executive Director of Impact Teen Drivers. “In a recent study, over 98 percent of people reported that texting behind the wheel is dangerous, but 75 percent still report doing it. The propensity for people to rationalize distracted driving behavior—the ‘not me’ mentality—is a big part of the problem.” “One of the most difficult tasks for any officer is notifying parents that their teenager was killed in a traffic collision, and it is even worse when the crash was totally preventable,” CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said. “Young drivers may not realize the magnitude of the aftermath of a fatal collision, and the emotional toll it takes. It is up to all of us – family, friends, experienced drivers – to set the right example, avoid distractions behind the wheel, and focus on our own driving.” Research clearly shows that it is the cognitive distraction, not the manual distraction that presents the greatest risk behind the wheel. “We overestimate our abilities to multitask behind the wheel—the reality is our brain is not set up to do multiple tasks at once and do them well,” said Debbie Hersman, President and CEO of the National Safety Council. “A moment of distraction behind the wheel—even one time—can have devastating consequences.” Impact Teen Drivers uses a multifaceted approach to educate teens and communities about the dangers of reckless and distracted driving. Through the What Do You Consider Lethal? program, teens are engaged and empowered to make good decisions behind the wheel and spread the safe driving message to their peers. In Parent-Teen Workshops, parents are taught that they are the primary influencer of their teen’s driving attitudes and behaviors—and that “Do as I say, not as I do” doesn’t work. During California Teen Safe Driving Week, law enforcement agencies emphasize the need for a strong combination of education and enforcement to change driving attitudes and behaviors. They also stress that distracted driving injuries and fatalities are 100 percent preventable. “We need to make distracted driving socially unacceptable, like driving under the influence of alcohol,” said Rhonda Craft, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “By combining education and enforcement to prevent distracted driving, we will make the roads safer for everyone.” California Teen Safe Driving Week marks the beginning of National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Published: 04/01/15 |