Liz Writes Life
Feb. 24, 2021
Reminder: California Assemblyman Kevin Kiley will be visiting Siskiyou County this week. Kiley has written a book titled, “Recall Newsom: The case against America’s most corrupt governor. He is holding a book signing at Zephyr Books and Coffee on Miner’s Street in Yreka on Feb. 26, 2021. Kiley will be available to sign the books between noon and 3 p.m. this Friday. Stop in and visit with him.
Petitions
to recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom will be will be available for additional
signatures from anyone who is registered to vote in California and is unhappy
with Newsom’s response to Covid-19 and the pandemic.
County
business
The
Siskiyou Conservative Republicans held a meeting this month and shared
information on issues and potential bills that will be voted on in either the
state house or congress. Ray Haupt, Siskiyou Co. Supervisor for District 5, was
asked to share information regarding the county. I was able to attend and took
notes. So, here goes.
Ray was
elected chairman of the county supervisors’ board for the 2021 year and Ed,
Valenzuela, from Dist. 2, will serve as vice chair.
In a
nutshell, Ray said funding the county budget is a major problem, especially
when the county is dealing with a variety of issues and reduced revenues.
Angela
Davis is the new CAO and worked overtime during the 2020 fires to obtain
federal and state assistance. Previously, he had told me that she was assistant
CAO in Shasta County, when it suffered major fires in 2018 and she knew what to
do to get help from with the Slater Fire. There is a “ton of legal work” that
goes on behind the scenes and Davis as well as county attorneys are busy
working on those issues.
One of
Ray’s goals is to get the county departments connecting with each other –
digitally -- and all information converted to digital. It is, after all, the 21st
century, he said, and that people in Happy Camp shouldn’t have to drive all the
way to Yreka for documents, when they should be available online.
Scott
Waite announced that he will retire from serving as the director of Public
Works and Jason Vela, the Director of Office of Emergency Services, will be
leaving the county office as he accepted a higher position at the state level.
Ray said
that the male gray wolf, OR85, has found a mate and their range is about 385
miles from McCloud into Little Shasta Valley. Apparently, Oregon State is going
to allow depredation of a predator through its wolf management program. In
California, it is still illegal to kill a wolf under the state Endangered
Species Act.
Better
communication has been established with the CA. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife,
because Ray and Dist. 3 Supervisor Michael Kobseff hold monthly meetings with
local and, if needed, regional or state DFW employees.
Bear
hunting
Ray
mentioned, for now, bear hunting will still be permitted. At the state legislative
level, the bill to outlaw hunting of bears was withdrawn. Well, that’s good
news!
Lost
communication
Ray
mentioned that one of the biggest highs in his life was to visit with President
Donald Trump in Sacramento, last September, right after the Slater Fire had
destroyed much of Happy Camp. Previously, Ray had been able to network and
connect with President Trump and members in his administration regarding the
over-growth of forests and devastating wildfire threats to communities. He, the
county and forest health groups, felt they were making headway in affecting
solutions to wildfires. Unfortunately, since the election of President Biden, he
has lost all communication with the White House and other departments in WA.
D.C. That is so sad.
He also
said that with this covid-19 pandemic, many federal agencies are closed and so
working through the legal process is even slower than usual.
Next
week, I will share more info from Ray on the Slater Fire and the pandemic.
Texas
freeze
My
goodness, after learning about the week-long deep freeze throughout the
mid-west down into Texas last week, it makes me so grateful for so many things
that we take for granted. I would imagine the human death toll will go higher
and the loss of livestock and wild life will be terrible. There was talk about
millions of dollars worth of milk from cows being dumped, but I just hope all
the cows were able to get milked!
Yep,
certainly makes me appreciate modern conveniences powered by electricity. I
love turning on my tap and water comes out -- even hot water. And, I am so
grateful I don’t have to use an outhouse!
Garden
It will really
feel like spring this week with the warmer temps and sunshine. Rain and snow
storms have certainly added much needed moisture. I see hollyhocks, Sweet
William and Shasta daisy are perking-up along with day lilies, tulips and daffodils
that are growing. Chives are poking-up through the old plants and I want to
transplant some to another spot. Hum, looks like I need to try and get that
done this week.
Family
history
I’d like
to let folks know that a world-wide free convention with motivational speakers
and informative workshops will be held this week – online. It is called RootsTech
Connect 2021. Registration is free. Check out the schedule that starts this Thursday
and goes through Saturday.
RootsTech
has grown in popularity through the past decade with over 30,000 people showing-up
to the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City last year for the convention, but because
of the continuing pandemic the leaders decided to put it all online this year.
Go for it. Finding ancestors is fun!
Peace to you and may calm fill our hearts!
Liz Bowen began writing
ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of
Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past can be found at:
lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.
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