May 1, 2018
Liz Writes Life
Published in Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA
After that hot weather, it sure was nice to have cooler temps
and some rain showers this weekend. Can’t believe how much everything grew
after I irrigated several times. Picked a couple asparagus and ate them raw and
will likely harvest some rhubarb this week. Sure do need to hit the garlic with
Miracle Gro to get those bulbs to, hopefully, fatten up.
Rodeo
The 71st Scott Valley Pleasure Park Rodeo will be
held this Sunday, May 6, 2018 at the Etna arena. There are numerous activities
starting on Friday with the CA. Dist. 1 High School Rodeo Finals. Awards for
the high school rodeo will be on Saturday afternoon, then there will be open
Team Roping and a Barbecue and Dance at Dotty’s Saturday night.
On Sunday, an early-morning Cowboy Breakfast starts at 6:30
a.m. at the rodeo grounds. Long-time Pleasure Park Rodeo supporter, Nancy
Carver, will be honored as Grand Marshal of the Rodeo Parade at 10:30 a.m., in
Etna, and youth events kick-off the rodeo at 1 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults
and kids age 12 and over; $5 for seniors age 65 and over and kids 8 to 12. Kids
7 and under are free.
Taco Feed
The Callahan Mr. Bolivar Grange is holding a fund raiser Taco
Feed on Cinco de Mayo this Saturday evening from 4 to 8 p.m. Cost is $10 per
adult or $20 family. The band “Wind Fields” will be playing next door at the
Emporium after dinner.
Fishin’ Derby
The 17th Annual Kid’s Fishin’ Derby is also on
Sat. May 5, 2018 at the Lower Greenhorn Park in Yreka. This fun event is
sponsored by E Clampus Vitus Humbug Chapter 73. Sign-up is from 8 to 9 a.m.
There will lunch at noon. Age groups are 3 to 8 year olds, then 9 to 12 years
with 13 to 15 the oldest group. Awards will be at 12:30 p.m.
Candidates Forum
I didn’t make it to the Candidates Forum in Yreka on Thursday
night, but heard there was a good crowd with lots of candidates speaking, some
were even heard – live -- over skype or other digital technology. Way to go!
POW
Scott Valley Protect Our Water supporters met last Thursday
night with three speakers who spoke at the Candidates Forum in Yreka and then drove
over to Fort Jones to share even more info. Craig Kay spoke first. He is
running for Siskiyou Co. Assessor/Recorder. Ethan Garrett, who is also running
for the assessor/recorder office, spoke at POW in March, so it was Craig’s turn
in April.
Craig was born and grew up in Dunsmuir. He was graduated from
Dunsmuir High School and University of California at Chico. Craig started his
career in business management, then began working in the Tulare County
Assessor’s office and soon moved closer to home by working at the Shasta Co.
Assessor’s office a few years. For the last 14 years, Craig has worked in the
Siskiyou Co. Assessor/Recorder’s office and has been the assistant-recorder the
last 8 years.
Craig mentioned the crash of the real estate market and how
he oversaw the proactive reduction of $1000s of property values under Prop. 8,
which temporarily reduced taxes that had been assessed higher than the market
value. He said the assessor’s office continues to analyze values each year in
order to stay fair and equitable.
Craig said the office has up-graded computer programs and
integrated new software. He works closely with the business property
assessments utilizing itemized lists for more accurate and fair depreciation.
He said he has built good working relationships with other county department
heads.
Like Ethan, he was asked several questions. One was about
saving the Klamath dams. He said that the current county assessor, Mike
Mallory, has spoken many times in support of saving the four hydro-electric
dams and he will as well. Craig said he supports the prosperity of Siskiyou
County.
Ray Haupt, Dist. 5 Siskiyou Co. Supervisor, had good news to
report on several fronts. Earlier in April, he attended the American Forestry
Resource Council’s annual conference held in Washington State. He met
Congressman Bruce Westerman, a Republican from Arkansas, who was a keynote
speaker explaining the reforms package of forest management and fire funding in
the recent Omnibus Appropriations bill. Ray said that Westerman is the only
congressman in the House with a background in forestry and was pleased to find
a county supervisor, who was also a forester.
Ray said the new legislation expands stewardship authorities
to allow the USFS to contract with counties on road work, when needed because
of problems from weather. Several years ago, due to the change of policy
regarding forest harvests/management, USFS lost funding for their road crews
that maintained roads. This new authority will allow USFS Klamath National
Forest to actually maintain some roads and use local county road crews that are
already in place.
Because Ray is always working on saving the four hydro-electric
Klamath dams, he was able to have a sit-down meeting with Oregon Dist. 2 Congressman
Greg Walden, who also spoke at the forestry conference. Ray said that Walden was
“shocked” about the frustration that Siskiyou County has with Klamath dam
removal. Personally, I can’t believe that Congressman Walden hasn’t heard or
read letters from Siskiyou Co. against the Klamath dam removal, but maybe Ray’s
scientific concerns helped alert him to the looming economic and environmental
problems that will result from dam destruction.
Then, Ray explained that he was not happy with the lack of
transparency by Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife regarding the wolf issue. He
said the county has sent a letter demanding better communication, when Oregon
wolves travel out-of-state into California. He also shared that the state
agencies begrudgingly admit there are likely more wolves in Western Siskiyou
Co. than reported as few wolves are actually collared. Landowners and ranchers
throughout our county have contacted Ray to report sightings of wolves; and Ray
believes the wolf sightings are legit.
I’ll cover more of Ray’s comments next week.
Liz Bowen is a native of Siskiyou County and lives Callahan.
Call her at 530-467-3515.
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