May 25th
In Loyalton park
3 pm Wine & Cheese Reception
4 pm Red Hoop Singers Performance
A Musica Sierra event in the Old School House featuring the Red Hoop Singers
May 25th In Loyalton park 3 pm Wine & Cheese Reception 4 pm Red Hoop Singers Performance
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www.tfhd.com
(Tahoe/Truckee, Calif.) – In October 2022, Tahoe Forest Health System launched a custom, evidence-based nursing clinical ladder that promotes bedside nurses’ personal and professional growth. The clinical ladder, named the PEAK Program, recognizes and rewards staff nurses for furthering their knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities. PEAK stands for “Professional Excellence, Advancement, and Kudos” and has 3 tiers named after local summits: Martis Peak, Mount Judah, and Mount Rose. The tiers are based on Patricia Benner’s “Novice to Expert” model which influenced many healthcare organizations to develop a structure to advance nursing practice. Nursing clinical ladders were first introduced in the 1970’s as a way to engage bedside nurses and provide opportunities for career growth. “The PEAK Program’s goals are to improve staff engagement and elevate personal and professional development, while improving patient care, safety, quality, value, and outcomes,” says Damara Stone, RN, who developed and launched the PEAK Program at Tahoe Forest. “The response has been incredible! We have over 60 nurses from 10 different care areas participating in the program. They have developed projects ranging from care for the caregiver activities, process improvement projects, patient education, staff development, and so much more.” The nurses are required to accrue points in 4 different categories that align with the mission, vision, and values of the health system: Caring/Compassion, Competency, Community/Family, and Quality/Evidence-Based Practice. The nurses build a professional portfolio highlighting their accomplishments, and, if approved, earn a bonus. “The goal is to expand to other disciplines in the Health System. We just launched the PEAK Program for Therapy Services and other departments have expressed interest as well,” says Stone. Research shows that clinical ladders enhance staff nurse recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction while contributing to patient safety and outcomes “The PEAK Program has created a culture of excellence and professionalism with the nursing team, fostering a sense of pride and accomplishment among the staff members. I am proud to be a part of an organization that values and invests in the development of its nursing staff,” says Arlette Tormey, Infusion Nurse at the Tahoe Forest Cancer Center. National Nurses Week is observed May 6 - 12. Join Tahoe Forest Health System in celebrating the invaluable contributions of nurses and the nursing profession that impact the health and well-being of our communities. ##### About Tahoe Forest Health System Tahoe Forest Health System, which includes Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee, CA, and Incline Village Community Hospital in Incline Village, NV, offers 24-hour emergency care, urgent care, primary and specialty health care clinics including Tahoe Forest Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Commission on Cancer (COC) accredited cancer center, the Gene Upshaw Memorial Tahoe Forest Cancer Center, and the Joseph Family Center for Women and Newborn Care. With a strong focus on high quality patient care, community collaboration, clinical excellence and innovation, Tahoe Forest Health System is a UC Davis Rural Center of Excellence. For a complete list of physician specialties and services, visit www.tfhd.com. Photo attached. PEAK Program.jpg – TFHS nu Building Futures: Shaping the Path to Economic ProsperityA Survey of Industry and Business Needs5/1/2024 The Jerry & Yvonne Kehr Educational Fund’s mission is to support educational, artistic, and vocational initiatives in Plumas County and provide resources that enhance learning opportunities for students of all ages. The fund aims to foster educational opportunities and excellence, promote innovation, and ensure equal access to education for all. The purpose of the survey is to gather the opinions of local businesses regarding the most important employable skills and educational training for youth and young adults in our area. The insights collected will help us develop programs and projects that will contribute to the economic development and prosperity of our local communities. The data collected from the survey will be used to inform the strategic direction of the Education Fund's initiatives. Additionally, it will be used in funding applications to secure financial support from relevant agencies. Completing the survey is expected to take approximately 7 minutes of your time. Rest assured that all individual respondent data will be treated with strict confidentiality. TAKE THE BUILDING FUTURES SURVEY HERE Thank you for participating. If you have any questions or would like to follow-up with us, please contact Susan Bryner, SBryner@AlmanorFoundation.org. The Members of the Jerry & Yvonne Kehr Education Fund, Tim O’Brien, Coldwell Banker Kehr/O’Brien Susan Bryner, The Almanor Foundation Rita Bunzel, Sierra Pacific Industries Trina Cunningham, Representative Maidu Culture Lauren McIntyre, Plumas Charter, Indian Valley Chelsea Harrison, PUSD School Board Member Annee Kassebaum, Retired East Bay Parks & Recreation Betty Bishop, Retied Collins Pine and School Board Member OROVILLE, CA — Firefighters on the Plumas National Forest Feather River Ranger District are conducting pile burning operations today and planning for prescribed burning tomorrow while conditions are within prescription. Pile burning occurred this afternoon on approximately 2 acres in Horse Camp and Running Deer campgrounds at Little Grass Valley Reservoir Recreation Area near La Porte. These are large piles, surrounded by snow and important for fuel reduction at these recreation sites. Smoke from this operation will likely be visible in the La Porte area for the next several days but should not affect the community. Tomorrow, ignitions are planned on units near the communities of Forbestown in Butte County and Challenge in Yuba County for a total of 172 acres. At Sunset Hill outside Forbestown, firefighters plan to treat approximately 43 acres. At Woodleaf outside of Challenge is approximately 129 acres. Currently the plan is to conduct prescribed burning operations in both areas simultaneously. Ignitions may take more than one day. Smoke is expected to be visible but not have significant long-term impacts to nearby communities, including Forbestown, Challenge, Brownsville and Dobbins. Short duration, minor smoke impacts are expected along Forbestown and LaPorte Roads and neighboring forest roads. Visibility on roads in the project areas may be reduced, especially early in the morning and late evening as smoke settles. If smoke impacts Forbestown and La Porte Roads, traffic controls will be put in place. There will also be increased firefighting equipment traffic in the area. Drivers in the area should use caution, watch for fire equipment exiting and entering area roadways, and possible slow traffic. If weather conditions become unfavorable, including increased or gusty winds in the area, burning will stop until conditions improve. Firefighters will be monitoring conditions throughout the operation. For more information on the Plumas National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/plumas or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas. ### USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. #ICYMI: A roundup of notable incidents involving the California Highway Patrol (CHP) this past week, including a partnership with the Bakersfield Police Department for crime suppression, an organized retail crime operation recovers over $326,000 in stolen merchandise at Oakland residence, a wrong-way driver arrested in Tracy, CHP K9 Sully sniffs out drugs, and sky-high heroes take part in helicopter rescue training. The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each announcement. Click on the headlines to access accompanying assets that are available for download. Governor Gavin Newsom announced a crime suppression partnership underway in Bakersfield to continue improving public safety, address roadway violence, and stop criminal activity. Details of the coordinated enforcement effort involving the CHP and Bakersfield Police Department were unveiled in an April 24 press release issued by the Governor’s Office. As part of this coordinated law enforcement operation, the CHP is conducting enforcement actions in and around Bakersfield to address auto theft, retail crime, and high-visibility, proactive traffic enforcement. A recent joint operation between the CHP’s Golden Gate Division Organized Retail Crime Task Force, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, and San Ramon Police Department resulted in the recovery of more than $326,000 in stolen merchandise and the arrest of a suspect in connection to operating the retail crime fence. On April 17, Octavio Ambriz-Valle, 52, of Oakland was arrested and booked on charges of organized retail crime, grand theft, possession of stolen property and conspiracy to commit a crime. A 29-year-old man was arrested in Tracy thanks to alert motorists and the rapid intervention by responding CHP officers. The very dangerous situation unfolded April 20 on Interstate 580 in San Joaquin County after several calls to 9-1-1 reported a wrong-way driver speeding down the freeway. The wrong-way driver was stopped by a CHP officer who was conducting a traffic break. The driver, who was determined to be impaired, was traveling with an 18-month-old baby in the car. The driver was arrested and will face multiple felony charges, including child endangerment. There were no injuries related to the incident. A CHP canine officer and his canine partner, Sully, recently achieved a notable drug seizure in San Francisco. During a traffic stop, Sully’s keen sense of smell helped officers locate numerous bags of illegal drugs totaling over 122 grams of suspected cocaine, 10 grams of suspected heroin, 84 grams of suspected methamphetamine, and 230 grams of suspected fentanyl. The occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody and booked into jail on numerous drug-related charges. The CHP’s Coastal Division Air Operations Unit recently took part in a two-day, multi-agency helicopter rescue training in Monterey County. Working alongside their partners from the San Luis Obispo Fire Department, Atascadero Fire & Emergency Services, Morro Bay Fire Department, Big Sur Fire, Paso Robles Firefighters, and the Cambria Fire Department, the annual training for the CHP’s Air Operations personnel focused on high-risk, low-frequency hoist rescues ranging from cliff pick insertions and extractions to a skid operation. Support from Air Operations enhances the CHP's life-saving mission. In addition to airborne traffic enforcement and management, Air Operations aids with search and rescue, criminal surveillance, pursuit intervention, aerial photography, blood and organ transportation, homeland security, and emergency transportation of personnel and equipment. The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service and Security. The Mad Hatter Tea party was hosted by the Sierra County Arts Council this year in the historic North Yuba River Hall. The Tea Party was a traditional event of the Native Daughters of the Golden West, who deeded the beautiful building over to the Arts Council last year. The Daughters were dedicated to maintaining the Hall, circa 1864, and the Arts Council is working to maintain the building for local cultural programs. The Hall is already hosting a variety of events and programs. On going classes currently include Line Dancing, with Kathy Fischer of Downieville Dance, and Senior Movement classes lead by Kat Macchia. Upcoming events include: Corinne West “Transformations in Song” on May 11; the “Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin Book Release and Art Show” on June 9, a project of the Sierra County Land Trust; and a concert of original folk songs featuring Rita Hosking and Sean Feder on June 22. Delicious sweet treats and luncheon items were provided by volunteers. The raffle of wonderful donated items was a lot of fun. Highlight of the raffle was “Chamomile Bear” hand sewn by Ingrid Larson. Hats of note were Rudy Jackson’s Yoda hat and Sarah Folsom’s beret that belonged to her grandmother. It was the perfect event for a beautiful spring day. The Arts Council is always looking for people and organizations with a passion who would like to partner in the production of local cultural events at the North Yuba River Hall and also at The Yuba Theatre. Please contact B.J. if you have an idea or would like to help. Proceeds from the event will be used to maintain the North Yuba River Hall for future generations. Thank you to everyone who participated. The Sierra County Arts Council is State-Local Partner with the California Arts Council . Information at: www.sierracountyartscouncil.orbg Rudy Jackson Ingrid Larson and Laura Halliday Michelle Lozano
COMFORT CREATIONS, with owners Tara and Joe McKeown and several of its artisans in Quincy held an Open House Saturday, April 26th and Loyalton residents took a fun-filled trip with driver, Frank Sanchez to enjoy the event, complete with lunch and camaraderie! Tara is remembered as having boutiques in Loyalton and Portola in the late 1990s.
To schedule a trip on the bus - call (530) 993-4770! The fiery four-hand interpretations of Amélie Fortin & Marie-Christine Poirier filled Loyalton City Hall Friday, April 25th as Loyalton school students were fascinated with their playing. This was brought to us by Musica Sierra, which continues its mission to enrich the cultural experience of Sierra County through music education and world-class performances! That night another performance was held for the communities.
Crews Performing Work Within Locations 2 Through 5
PLACER/NEVADA/SIERRA COUNTIES – Caltrans is reminding motorists of various lane closures and delays along Interstate 80 (I-80) as emergency repairs continue in Placer, Nevada and Sierra counties. Here is the breakdown for next week: Westbound I-80
Eastbound I-80
Motorists will experience delays during this timeframe and are encouraged to use alternate routes to minimize any inconvenience. The schedule is subject to change or be delayed due to weather, availability of materials or other unexpected events. Caltrans performed an extensive field review of the I-80 corridor in 2023 and found an unprecedented amount of damage. Several areas exhibited moderate to high levels of rutting due to chain wear and required immediate repair. Five emergency contracts were executed in 2023 for the repairs, along with an additional four emergency contracts in 2024, totaling $107.4 million. The primary contractors are Teichert, Vanguard Construction, Dees Burke Engineering Constructors, Granite Construction, and Q&D Construction. OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today urged Californians to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, April 27, 2024. The effort, led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in partnership with local law enforcement agencies, aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, including opioids, while educating the public about the potential for abuse of prescription drug medications. According to the California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard, there were 7,385 opioid overdose-related deaths in California in 2022.
“Californians can help stop the epidemic of drug overdoses during Prescription Drug Take Back Day,” said Attorney General Bonta. “By safely disposing of unused medications, we can prevent drug misuse and accidental poisoning while safeguarding our water sources and ecosystems by avoiding improper disposal of medications. It’s a simple yet impactful way to protect our loved ones, and I strongly encourage all Californians to drop off unwanted medications at safe disposal sites in your community this Saturday.” On Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., communities throughout California will host sites to collect unwanted, unused, or expired prescription drugs. This service is free and anonymous. For more information and to find the closest collection site to you, please visit takebackday.dea.gov. In October, during the 25th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Californians dropped off 27,988 pounds of prescription drugs at 216 collection sites throughout the state. Nationwide, consumers returned nearly 600,000 pounds during the 25th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. In total, nearly 1,372,361 pounds of prescription drugs have been collected in California since the program began in 2010. Attorney General Bonta is unwavering in his commitment to protect California communities and fight the opioid crisis as well as the fentanyl epidemic. To date, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) has secured over $48 billion through nationwide settlements, including up to $4.25 billion for California, bringing needed funding back to communities for treatment and prevention strategies. Attorney General Bonta is addressing the fentanyl epidemic head-on through an all-in, multifaceted approach using ongoing enforcement, litigation, and effective public policy strategies for prevention. DOJ works with law enforcement partners to take fentanyl out of communities and hold poison peddlers accountable. DOJ’s Fentanyl Enforcement Program, created by the Attorney General, has been working to interrupt networks of drug traffickers. As of March 2024, DOJ has seized a total of 11,629,902 fentanyl pills, 3,392 pounds of fentanyl powder and have arrested 280 suspects on fentanyl related charges. In addition to these ongoing efforts, last month, Attorney General Bonta received a briefing on fentanyl trafficking from federal and local law enforcement partners and toured the California-Mexico border, continuing his focus cracking down on trafficking of illicit fentanyl into California communities. # # # Save the Date: Kids’ Fishing Day at Packer Lake July 20, 2024
NEVADA CITY, CALIF. (April 25, 2024) — Tahoe National Forest, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Sierra County Fish and Wildlife Commission welcome community members and visitors to the annual Kids’ Fishing Day at Packer Lake. This free event will take place on July 20, 2024 starting at 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. near 3901 Packer Lake Rd., Sierra City, Calif Packer Lake will be stocked with fish for the event courtesy of California Department of Fish and Wildlife and extra fishing poles will be available for children to borrow. Tahoe National Forest and Sierra County Fish and Wildlife Commission will be offering fun, educational arts and crafts focused on fishing and other aquatic and terrestrial species found in the area. Plan for a day at the Packer Lake:
We hope to see you there! ### Shasta & Plumas Counties
REDDING – The following Safety Roadside Rest Areas in District 2 are currently planned to reopen May 1, 2024 after seasonal closures:
Please note that Safety Roadside Rest Areas are subject to clousure at any time. For a list of Safety Roadside Rest Areas availability throughout the state, please visit QuickMap. # Smokey the Bear and Friends made their annual visit to Loyalton Elementary School’s Tk-3rd graders on Friday, April 19, 2024. The Forest Service was established in 1905 by Congress to provide quality water and timber to the nation. Now a days it is the largest forestry research organization in the world, managing 193 million acres of land. Fire Prevention Officers Robert Haug and Joe English from USFS Tahoe National Forest, enjoy educating future forest adventures about the does and don’ts while enjoying the areas wildlife and beauty. Their pal, Smokey the Bear, always brings added excitement to the meet and greet This year Explores from the Loyalton Fire Department include Nate Haug and Seth Rosecrans, recent EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) graduates and Layne Corbridge. They volunteered their time at the school encouraging good camp fire habits and the “Stop, Drop, and Roll” concept among other things. Each student receives an age-appropriate grab bag to take home. TK’ers were sporting Smokey the Bear hats, while 3rd’graders were given books explaining fire’s role in nature along with other fun stuff. Information for the annual Fire Prevention Poster contest was also handed out. In the past some of these posters have gotten national media coverage from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group. With each yearly visit grows the kids knowledge base and fire safety awareness.
A lost driver's license was found along Main St. and Cub Scout leader Megan Andaluz was happy to report that they were able to return it. The Scouts did a great job in downtown Loyalton Thursday, April 25th. Thanks Scouts!!!
LOYALTON CITY COUNCIL met April 16th. Under Staff Reports, Mayor Darlene Riede appointed Nancy Rogers to the Transportation Commission as the public representative and Joy Markum as Vice Mayor. She stated the last cement pour at the Verizon Tower would be that Thursday, then cover up and completion mid May or first of June.
The Council agreed to order the prior approved skimmer for the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Concerning the old church building, Musica Sierra CEO Lindsay McIntosh presented a new MOU, using the Senior Center template, saying she’d pay her portion of insurance. Council member Joy Markum asked if she’d talked to her Board about paying for the time of the city attorney, the 2-3 hours looking over what she’d sent. Lindsay asked if the Senior Center had paid with Joy saying that agreement had been accepted in 2007 on an automatic renewal and a whole different Council and they were not obligated to follow the same agreement. As for attorney’s hourly charges, Joy said he’s not on a retainer and he feels the City gets no funds and they would not be generating revenue for the City. Attorney Steve Gross recommended the Council not approve the first agreement. From the audience Laurie Belli voiced her support for “a lot of programs” with music, calling it “extraordinary,” and how it benefits the community and for the Council to work through the issues. Phyllis DeMartini asked if the project was “dead on arrival” if Lindsay paid no attorney fees? Joy stated they were not making $1 for 30 years and to leave the Senior Center out of it. Council member Sue McIlravy wanted to ask Attorney Steve Gross for an estimate of cost to do this. Joy said Steve had said it. Again from the audience, Joyce Cameron talked of the “just amazing music,” and after school instruction, performances and productions and how it’s “for our community.” Lindsay called the new MOU the “first step.” Under Fire Department Report, Assistant Chief Robert DeMartini was called out so Phyllis reported 67 calls for the year; April has had 23 calls, 3 fire, 10 medical, 9 lift assists and one cat rescue. She stated they are trying to get rid of the cut up cars at the fire house and Sheriff Mike Fisher stated to get a junk permit and pay the tow bill. There has been no reconciliation and no finals on the finances. April 30th at 4:30 p.m. will be a special finance meeting. On the water infrastructure, the $2 million Federal Allocation is not here yet. RDC is to do the Van Daam project. Church Street will be out to bid with three new hydrants and lines all one size. Much discussion was held over the new Housing Element. Former Mayor Sarah Jackson was in the audience and stated they’d gotten a grant in 2019. Planning services are $150/hour plus mileage and sub-consultants. Cost for Price Consulting Services to prepare the Housing Element Update is approximately $55,000. This is in spite of the fact: The Housing Element was updated in 2021 and there has been very little change in Loyalton’s housing conditions since then; The City has a small and declining population; The City has limited resources to spend on understanding housing issues in California and The City is undergoing infrastructure capacity issues that essentially restricts any opportunity for housing growth. Housing Element Noncompliance consequences include the City’s general plan could be found inadequate and invalid, vulnerable to litigation from housing rights’ organizations, developers and Housing and Community Development and the court may suspend authority to issue building permits, grant zoning changes, variances or subdivision map approvals. Sue questioned where the $55,000 would come from, Joy called it “outrageous,” yet she moved to go ahead with Gary Price and accept his proposal, seconded by Bill Mertton with approval of Mayor Darlene Riede and Sue voting no. The Council approved purchase of the $27,000 influent pump for the Wastewater Treatment Plant, paid for by the sewer grant. It approved $3,905 for the influent chart recorder with Sue offering to drive to pick it up. Joe Dines was voted recipient of the 10th annual Richard Meder Award for all he volunteers to help the City, going back to having helped with the skate park. Other candidates, Jake Marsh and Wendy Bergstrom will receive certificates of appreciation for all they do. Sheriff Mike Fisher spoke to Loyalton City Council April 16th on law enforcement and animal control within the City limits. The County doesn’t have a dedicated animal control officer and County code is for the public health officer director to delegate to the sheriff as it has 23 years. With no County kennel, the County contracts with Truckee Animal Shelter and the City has a separate contract with Truckee Animal Shelter. The fee to house or surrender is $282 to $290 per animal or $15/day for rabies observation. Cats are $100 less to bring in. There was talk of changing the agreement for Truckee to deal directly with citizens who would go directly to the shelter and the fee would go to the City with no attempt to find the owner and could cost the City or County. Truckee has agreed to hold off. There have been a total 421 calls for service within the City from March 19, 2023 to March 19, 2024: 228 criminal in nature; 112 medical paged fire dept; 35 additional non emergency; 25 civil service; 5 fire calls and 16 others. Of those there have been 10 arrests with 4 additional probation. Sierra County foots the bill for incarceration and currently, it costs $136 per day per inmate; $9,000 for 14 arrests with a current budget of $300,000. AB109 allows some funding for certain felonies. There have been 5 coroner cases within City limits in that time. With no pathologist, the County contracts with Placer County costing $500-1,500 in pathologist fees depending on what level of investigation and travel time. Base pay for a deputy entry level is $86,000/year which rises with time and promotions. The City receives $100,000/year for law enforcement given to the sheriff and pays an additional $12,000. Currently there are nine deputies spread over 1,000 miles; two are out on medical with two open positions. Two hires are in last week of training. The last four deputies have all been local and know what it’s like living here. They’ve hired retired Sgt. Dwight Cline out of Plumas County who came full/time at the Loyalton substation. They don’t run 24-coverage but are on call on both sides of the county. Mike told of 9-1-1 issues tracked down and update on all computers. On wildlife, Mike called lions or bears public safety. He felt Fish & Wildlife should come and deal with them and wardens’ hands are tied unless there’s a threat. He said his department would respond if people are in peril. There is a Fish & Wildlife Council in the County and he stated area locals could voice concerns. Sierra County Fish and Wildlife Commission meets 4th Tuesday of each month, 5:30 p.m. (except December). Call for location (530) 994-3376 CAL FIRE NEWS RELEASE California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit Auburn- The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit has announced effective at 8:00am, Wednesday, May 1, 2024, all hazard reduction burning will require a permit in Nevada, Yuba, Placer and Sierra Counties. Burn permits must now be obtained online at https://burnpermit.fire.ca.gov/. Applicants can access the website to obtain a burn permit which involves watching a short educational video and submitting an application. The process provides the necessary information needed to conduct the burn safely, while minimizing the chance for fire escape. Permits must be in possession either by printed copy or digitally. Permits are valid beginning May 1st of each year and require annual renewal. Permits are issued free of charge. Property owners conducting hazard reduction burning are responsible for checking the burn day status. Residents wishing to burn MUST verify it is a permissive burn day prior to burning by contacting:
As a reminder, always have a minimum 10-foot clearance down to bare mineral soil around all burn piles, have a shovel and a water source available, and an adult present during burning. Failure to follow these simple precautions may result in a citation and fines. For further information regarding residential burning or other fire safety tips visit your local CAL FIRE Station or go to www.readyforwildfire.org. ### NEVADA CITY, Calif. (April 24, 2024) — Tahoe National Forest plans to begin spring prescribed fire operations as early as April 29, 2024, dependent on fuels and weather conditions. Planned burn locations and timelines to complete projects may vary across the forest.
Each prescribed fire operation follows a specialized burn plan, wherein temperature, humidity, wind, vegetation moisture and smoke dispersal conditions are considered daily before a prescribed fire is implemented. All this information is used to decide if and when to burn. Prescribed fires help reduce fuels and overgrowth, which reduces the severity of future wildfires. Prescribed burns also restore forest health and diversity and provide added protection for surrounding communities in the event of a wildfire. Smoke produced from planned prescribed burns is less than unplanned wildfires. Prescribed fire now can prevent the impacts or spread of wildfire later. Upcoming prescribed burns include: American River Ranger District
Sierraville and Truckee Ranger Districts
Yuba River Ranger District
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. A low-intensity prescribed underburn on the Tahoe National Forest near Bassetts, Calif., Oct. 2023. Low-intensity fires restore the forest to a more resilient state and reduce wildfire risk by removing ladder fuels and overgrowth. For more prescribed fire assets, visit Tahoe National Forest's Flickr. By Ching Lee Heavy rainstorms this spring have boosted the state’s water supply for farming, but they have dampened farmers market attendance and crop selection in the immediate term. While grocery stores are already stocking imported summer fruits and vegetables, farmers market produce remains in transition, with many farms still selling cool-season offerings such as broccoli, cauliflower, hard squash, beets and navel oranges. More fragile crops such as strawberries have taken a beating from the wet weather. “I think people are tired of the winter crops,” said Uriel Castillo, who was selling for Stockton-based Busalacchi Farms at a weekday farmers market in Sacramento last week. “They want something different.” He said markets tend to get busier as the weather warms and “the produce starts changing.” The change has been slow, farmers say, as their crops are taking longer to mature due to lack of sun and heat. Saturated grounds have also delayed planting of summer crops. Castillo said some spring crops are starting to show up, pointing to the asparagus, fava beans and green beans that were new at his booth last week. Dan Best, coordinator of Certified Farmers Markets of Sacramento, said weather has had “a dramatic impact” on farmers markets, especially on the more popular weekend markets. He noted he had to cancel one this month due to rain, wind and slow crowds. “If the farmers have problems, we have problems in supply,” he said. “If it rains on a Saturday, it hurts everything because people don’t come out.” Karen Wetzel Schott, who manages farmers markets in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, said rainy, gloomy weather has resulted in spotty supply. Some farmers who usually sell year-round have come to markets “only a handful of times since the beginning of the year” because they don’t have enough to sell. Rain-damaged strawberries meant farmers missed out on sales for Valentine’s Day and Easter, “which are huge food holidays for us,” she said. “We’re shooting for Mother’s Day. That’s our next big flowers and food holiday,” Wetzel Schott said. Beyond issues with Mother Nature, Best said some farmers markets have not recovered from impacts of the pandemic. Many Sacramento downtown offices remain closed, with some opening one or two days a week. One market that caters to office workers during the week never reopened, he noted. Another seasonal market “that’s more of a lunch kind of thing, the farmers are doing not very well,” he said. “I have not seen the crowds increase,” Best said. One contributing factor for decreased attendance could be the disappearance of brick-and-mortar stores near farmers markets, which benefited from patronage of employees and customers in business and shopping districts, he said. Retailers such as Walmart and Costco have also “stepped up their game” by carrying more fresh fruits and vegetables, Best added. Kern County farmer Greg Tesch, who has been selling at and managing farmers markets for nearly three decades, agrees. He said many grocery stores “have done a great job of copying farmers markets” by offering more unique items that used to be available only at farmers markets. The supermarket chain Sprouts Farmers Market even adopted the connotation in its name. But Tesch said he thinks the decline in farmers market attendance predates the pandemic. He considers the “heyday” of farmers markets to be during the housing boom nearly 20 years ago, when he used to participate in seven to nine markets a week. Now he goes to two. “I’ve shrunk my farmers market business based on the shrinking clientele,” he said. “I’m doing fewer markets, doing much less business at each market, and my plantings have gone way down.” After the housing bust in 2008, Tesch said, “I’ve never achieved half of what I used to be able to sell at a farmers market, even with my best crop mix.” He and Best also agree that farmers markets can’t compete with grocery stores on convenience, especially with some market vendors being cash only. Many small farmers remain reluctant to accept credit cards because they incur extra fees. However, more markets now do take EBT, or electronic benefit transfer cards, formerly food stamps, which Tesch said has encouraged a “wider diversity” of people to shop at farmers markets. Despite the “tremendous amount of energy and time” it takes to sell at farmers markets, Tesch said he does it more as a community service, as it allows farmers to provide the public with crops that are picked at peak ripeness, giving people “the best eating experience, and a lot of times that means better nutrition.” For Tulare County farmer James Birch, purchases from restaurants and chefs have been a major boon to his farmers market business. Some chefs shop directly at the market, while others go through distributors such as Sysco, which he described as one of his best customers. “They’re not there looking for price either; they’re looking for quality,” he said. “They don’t come (to the market) and say, ‘Oh, can we please get it for wholesale (prices)?’” Birch sells at the downtown Santa Monica market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Most of the time, 80% to 90% of his produce has been sold by the time he gets to the market, which serves as a hub for customers to pick up their orders. This system was a huge plus during the pandemic, he noted, and remains a mainstay of the market, which accommodates “lines of big trucks coming to pick up.” As with any business, location matters, suggested Michi Yasutomi-Ward, who manages five of Orange County Farm Bureau’s nine farmers markets. She said when she started managing the Tuesday farmers market at Irvine Regional Park 11 years ago, “I didn’t think we were going to make it because we were so far out, like nowhere zone.” It took seven years before the market started getting more popular, she said, and now it is one of her most successful markets. She said it benefits from the wide variety of activities in and around the park, with a zoo and places for families to hike and ride horses. There’s also a variety of food options to complement the farmer vendors, including people selling mini donuts, smoothies, bento boxes and teriyaki. Trish Harrison manages the other four farmers markets for the Orange County Farm Bureau, and she described all of them as “very lucrative.” The one on Saturdays in Irvine is by far her biggest, with 114 vendors and no room for more. She said it helps that Irvine is between Los Angeles and San Diego counties. Farmers from as far away as Fresno sell at the market, which also attracts growers from San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Santa Barbara counties. Because of the market’s multicultural clientele, vendors are selling crops “that people can’t get anywhere else,” Harrison said. It’s easy to spot food trends there—from kale to dragon fruit to super-hot chilis to different microgreens. What’s the hot item these days? Specialty mushrooms, which she said are coveted by bodybuilders. “I’ve got it all in my market,” Harrison said. (Ching Lee is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at clee@cfbf.com.) Permission for use is granted. However, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation Latest Increase Translates to Enough Water for an Additional 1.5 million Households for a YearSACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced a further increase in the State Water Project (SWP) water supply allocation forecast for 2024. The forecasted allocation has increased to 40 percent, up from 30 percent last month. The State Water Project provides critical water supplies to 27 million Californians and farmers served by 29 public water agencies. Today’s increase would provide an additional 420,000 acre-feet of water, enough water to serve an estimated 1.5 million households for a year. Today’s allocation update is based on an 800,000 acre-foot increase in storage at Lake Oroville and the latest snow survey data from the all-important April 1 measurements. April 1 is typically when California sees peak snowpack and the start of the snowmelt season. Statewide, the snowpack remains near average at 99 percent of average for this date. The spring forecast in the latest snow runoff report, known as Bulletin 120, also anticipates above average runoff this spring. The State Water Project is working with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to manage flood releases and maximize the capture and storage of water from the winter storms and spring runoff in its reservoirs. Since January 1, storage has increased by 917,000 acre-feet at Lake Oroville and by 178,125 acre-feet at San Luis Reservoir. Oroville is currently at 124 percent of average and 94 percent of capacity and is expected to reach capacity next month. During the spring, the ability to move water supply south through the system will continue to be impacted by the presence of threatened and endangered fish species near the State Water Project pumping facility in the south Delta. The presence of these fish species has triggered state and federal regulations that significantly reduce the pumping from the Delta into the California Aqueduct. This reduction in pumping has limited the ability to move and store water into San Luis Reservoir. This reduced pumping is expected to continue into late spring. The State Water Project anticipates increasing its pumping significantly this summer as soon as the fishery conditions and our State and federal operating permits allow. “This year highlights the challenges of moving water in wet periods with the current pumping infrastructure in the south Delta. We had both record low pumping for a wet year and high fish salvage at the pumps,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “We need to be moving water when it’s wet so that we can ease conditions for people and fish when dry conditions return. It’s one more reason the Delta Conveyance Project, which would move water when the flows are high in a manner safer for fish, is a necessary climate adaptation project for California.” Had the Delta Conveyance Project been in place this winter, the State Water Project would have been able to capture an additional 909,000 acre-feet of water since January 1. That’s enough water for 9.5 million people, or 3.1 million households, for a year. The updated State Water Project allocation forecast announced today anticipates delivery of 40 percent of requested supplies to contractors south of the Delta, which accounts for the majority of contractors; 65 percent of requested supplies to contractors north of the Delta; and 100 percent allocation to Feather River Settlement Contractors. Allocations are updated monthly as snowpack, rainfall, and runoff information is assessed, with a final allocation typically determined in May or June. Additional Resources OAKLAND — On behalf of California and leading a multistate coalition of 23 attorneys general and four cities, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Governor Gavin Newsom, and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) filed a motion to intervene in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to help defend the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s final rule for light- and medium-duty vehicles emissions standards for model years 2027-2032 (Final Rule). The Final Rule sets stricter tailpipe emissions standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles for harmful air pollutants, including greenhouse gases (GHG), nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. Currently, the rule is being challenged by 25 Republican-led states seeking to curb the agency’s efforts to reduce emissions from the transportation sector. “This lawsuit is just another attempt to take the country backwards in the fight against climate change and air pollution,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “California has supported the EPA’s authority to set feasible, common-sense, technology-based vehicle standards against similar challenges before, and we will continue to stand on the side grounded in facts that will protect public health and our environment.” “California won’t sit back – we’re not going to watch radical Republicans put the profits of big oil over the health of our planet,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “We’re stepping in, joining the Biden Administration to defend their clean car rules from these challenges.” “In California, we know that air quality challenges need to be tackled with innovation and urgency, and that manufacturers and consumers are stepping up to do their part to work toward a healthier future. Now is not the time to slow down progress on working toward a zero-emissions future, and California stands behind efforts to make sure that the U.S. is a leader on clean vehicle technology and environmental justice,” said CARB Chair Liane Randolph. Transportation is the leading source of GHG emissions in the country, and passenger cars account for more than half of those transportation emissions. Motor vehicle emissions also contribute to ozone, particulate matter, and air toxics, all of which are linked to premature death, respiratory illness, cardiovascular problems, and cancer, among other serious health impacts. Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act requires the EPA to set emission standards for air pollutants from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines that cause or contribute to air pollution and endanger public health or welfare. The Final Rule will result in a 50% reduction in light-duty vehicle (i.e. passenger cars) GHG emissions and a 44% reduction in medium-duty vehicle (i.e. large pickup trucks and vans, including delivery vans) GHG emissions compared to model year 2026 levels, and it will encourage the ongoing transition to electric vehicles. The emissions standards in the Final Rule will also cut nitrogen oxides and non-methane organic gases by half and particulate matter by over 95%. This intervention continues California’s support for the Biden Administration’s efforts to reduce emissions from light- and medium-duty vehicles and EPA’s authority to set stringent vehicle emissions standards. In 2022, a similar coalition of Republican-led states attacked EPA’s light- and medium-duty vehicles emissions standards for model years 2023-2026 and EPA’s authority to set these standards, and California, leading a coalition of 27 states and cities, intervened in support of EPA. Attorney General Bonta, Governor Newsom, and CARB are joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, the city and county of Denver, and the cities of Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York in filing the motion. A copy of the motion can be found here. # # # You may view the full account of this posting, including possible attachments, in the News & Alerts section of our website at: https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-governor-newsom-and-carb-lead-multistate-coalition-defend You may view all News & Alerts on our website at: https://oag.ca.gov/news Please visit the remainder of the Attorney General's site at: https://oag.ca.gov/ |
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