SODA SPRINGS

– Caltrans is alerting motorists to travel delays on Interstate 80 near Soda Springs following a big rig that overturned in the early-morning hours, causing the closure of both eastbound lanes.

The California Highway Patrol is currently intermittently closing and redirecting I-80 eastbound traffic to the Soda Springs off- and on-ramps. Motorists should anticipate travel delays while detours are in place.

Caltrans is clearing approximately 150 gallons of fuel from the Interstate with Hazardous Material crews. Emergency guardrail repairs are also needed at the Soda Spring exit before the Interstate will be fully reopened to motorists.

Caltrans anticipates a full reopening by this afternoon.

Weather or unexpected events may delay or prolong the work. Caltrans advises motorists to “Be Work Zone Alert.” The department will issue updates on Twitter @CaltransDist3 and on Facebook at CaltransDistrict3. For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans’ QuickMap quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or download the QuickMap app from the App Store or Google Play.

Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Tehama), Senate Budget Vice Chair, issued the following statement regarding the passage of the state’s spending plan:

 “Survivors of Camp Fire will receive much-needed monies to rebuild Paradise and the Ridge in this year’s state budget.

 “The Town of Paradise and surrounding communities will receive funding for clean water, $800,000 to begin the environmental review process for a treatment plant for a sewer system and $2 million to adequately staff fire stations in Butte County. Our community will also receive $10 million for other recovery efforts.

 “Funding for much-needed infrastructure, debt reduction and life-saving programs like the wildfire mitigation measures are appropriate uses of the taxpayers’ monies.

 “However, this budget raises taxes on Californians despite a $22 billion surplus. It funds healthcare for undocumented immigrants by a whopping $100 million. It offers no accountability for the chronic mismanagement at the Department of Motor Vehicles. It commits to permanent spending that will take the state back to the deficits of the Davis Administration. Therefore, I cannot support it.”

                Sutter County today was listed among the top employers in the nation by the business magazine Forbes, which surveyed 80,000 Americans and ranked 1,430 large employers.

                In a feature called “America’s Best Employers By State,” Forbes ranked Sutter County 30th out of 194 California companies ranked, based on a survey of workers at businesses with at least 500 employees.

                Among employers that are county governments, only San Diego County finished higher on the list, at 22. Only five other counties made the list. Riverside, San Francisco, Monterey, San Joaquin, and Sacramento counties all ranked behind Sutter County.

                Sutter County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mat Conant was pleasantly surprised by the announcement. But he was not at a loss for words about the reason for it.

                “Our employees make this a great place to work,” he said.  “This is a community rich in agricultural production, not yet paved over like some other regions of the state. It’s a great place to live and a great place to work. It’s a great community with great people, who make great employees.”

                Sutter County has approximately 950 employees. Conant said many people do not understand the multitude of functions and responsibilities at the County, including law enforcement and public protection, health and human services, agricultural services and consumer protection, environmental health, code enforcement, planning and building services, road and bridge construction and maintenance, elections, recording and archiving of public documents, tax collection and treasury investment, auditing, property assessments and assessment appeals, fleet maintenance, building maintenance, information technology. The list is a long one.

                “Everything our employees touch impacts the public, and they understand what they do is important,” Conant said. “When you feel your job matters, it can have a positive impact on the way you feel about your employer.

                “This recognition by Forbes is a humbling affirmation that Sutter County values its employees, and its employees value Sutter County and the work they do on behalf of the residents.”

                Sutter County has a population of approximately 98,000. Agriculture has a $1.5 billion annual impact on the economy. Its top crops are rice, walnuts, prunes, peaches, and tomatoes.

To determine the list, Statista surveyed 80,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 500 employees. All the surveys were anonymous, allowing participants to openly share their opinions. The respondents were asked to rate, on a scale of zero to 10, how likely they’d be to recommend their employer to others. Statista then asked respondents to nominate organizations in industries outside their own. The number of businesses ranked in each state was dependent on two factors—the number of qualifying employers and the size of the state’s workforce—and those with operations in more than one state had the opportunity to be listed multiple times. The final list ranks the 1,430 employers that received the greatest number of recommendations in each of the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia.

by John Mistler

Oregon House, Ca.

On Wednesday, June 12, 2019 the Yuba Fire Safe Council held their monthly meeting at the Alcouffe Center.

One of the items on the agenda was from the Early Warning System Committee. Residents of the Foothills had asked that "early warning sirens" be considered for notifications of fires. Pete Hammontre a member of the committee gave a presentation on what their research had provided.

Using Dobbins and Oregon House as an example the research showed that the price for that area alone was $11,000,000. The sirens were not practical for the foothill terrain and the decimals needed to project the sirens would permanently cause deafness to anyone near the siren.

The sirens are historically used in the mid west where the terrain is flatter and they are a warning for tornadoes. When the siren goes off the people know to go to their basements. In the case of fires people need to know there is a fire , where it is and which way to evacuate. Sirens in the mid west are raised to a height that elements the possibility of permanent hearing loss.

The committee is continuing to explore ways of better communication for early warnings. On Thursday June 20th at 10:30 a.m. there will be a meeting at the Brownsville Community Center on Ponderosa Way to discuss Fire Preparedness.

Marysville, Ca.

A second meeting to update the community on efforts to address the ongoing challenges related to homelessness in Yuba County is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, June 20. The event is open to both Yuba County residents and those operating businesses in the county.

The Community Assembly on Homelessness meetings will give residents an opportunity to hear from local officials and community-based agencies that have been working to address the local homeless issues. Those with questions about the community response to homelessness are encouraged to present such queries in advance by going online to www.surveymonkey.com/r/forwardyubasutter.

The following public officials are scheduled to speak at the event:

• Yuba County Administrator Robert Bendorf
• Yuba County Sheriff Wendell Anderson
• Marysville Police Chief Chris Sachs
• Yuba County Homeless Project Manager Chaya Galicia

The first meeting was held June 12 and attracted a large number of people interested in the subject. Local service organizations that address homeless issues set up information tables and answered questions from the public. Those same entities will be at the next event.

The June 20 community meeting will be held 6-8 p.m. at the Yuba County Health and Human Services Department, located at 5730 Packard Avenue in Linda.

At approximately 7:00 a.m. on 6/12/19, the YCSO Marijuana Enforcement Team (METYU) and Yuba
Sutter SWAT Team executed a search warrant in the 7700 block of Skyview Ct. in Oregon House. During
the search, Deputies located 2,913 marijuana plants of various sizes ranging from one to three feet tall
growing in a large detached shop on the property.
The owner of the property, identified as 54-year-old Li Jian Cao, and six other individuals allegedly hired
by Cao to work at the grow, were contacted at the site. Cao was arrested for 182PC/Criminal Conspiracy,
11358 H&S/Illegal Cannabis Cultivation, and 11359 H&S/Illegal Possession of Marijuana for Sale. Cao is
a dual resident of Oregon House, Ca. and the state of New York. Cao was booked into the Yuba County
Jail with a bail amount of $50,000.

Marysville, Ca.

Mr. Moreno was asked if the Public Safety Power Shutoffs, PSPS, was the new norm or a temporary fix until other measures (ie brush and tree clearing) can be completed?

Paul Moreno of P G & E said," Our Public Safety Power Shutoffs are no replacement for other measures.  We are boosting our inspections, pruning greater distances between trees and power lines, hardening our electric grid with covered wire and non-wood poles, expanding our network of weather stations and remote high-def cameras, and installing more grid technology that can further reduce the footprint of a PSPS event.

As we expand our use of covered wire and non-wood poles, this will help reduce the need for PSPS in certain situations.  These are largely weather and fire condition driven, so if fire conditions improve that will help too.

I’ve received many questions in the past couple of weeks regarding Oroville Dam and wanted to share with you the most recent information available to me and the public.

On Friday of last week, DWR announced that the Department is preparing for the potential use of Oroville’s main spillway this week. DWR says that once the decision is made on whether to use the spillway or not, they will provide regular updates to the public and the media. I will be sure to share this information on Facebook and other channels.

On May 30th, a report from the Board of Consultants was submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In their summary, the board concluded that the recent use of the spillway "showed that the efforts of the past two years have been successful."

Also, I posed a number of questions to DWR last week. Here are the responses from DWR:

• The current outflow ability of Hyatt Powerplant is 13,000 CFS.
• The current elevation of the lake is 894.65 ft.
• There is currently 82,000 acre-feet of flood space in the reservoir.
• The current inflow into the lake is 10,901 CFS.
• Inflows have been tracking at about 9,000 – 12,000 CFS.
• Estimated daily average inflows over the next 7-10 days are between 10,000-12,000 CFS.
• Operations will maintain the lake around the current elevation (894-895 feet) over the next week. 
• Lake elevation may increase through June, but will not exceed 899 feet. 
• Releases will be subject to inflows, water demands and Delta needs.

I understand the distrust of DWR and the concern regarding lake levels. Know that we are continuing to bring a skeptical and protective eye to all of our meetings.

I believe the water management system at Oroville can and should be changed.  This is what Butte County is also requesting.  I have and will continue to push for what is called “forecast based operations,” meaning that the water should be managed to better account for changes in our watershed and what we are seeing in real time with snowpack and potential storms. 

In the winter months, this would allow for releasing water earlier to provide a better buffer in the reservoir to protect from a warm storm and large inflows like we experienced in 1986 and 1997.  I am also pushing for further investments in infrastructure to ensure the highest level of safety at the Dam.  

As always, I will remain engaged on this important issue and keep you informed.

Yuba City/Marysville, California.

Starting on Sunday, June 9, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. the Feather River boating channel at the 5^th Street Bridge will be closed. This channel access will remain closed to all watercraft from June 9, 2019 through June 14, 2019 at or around 5:00 a.m.  This will assure the safe removal of temporary structures in the Feather River. This planned closure will not affect traffic on the 5^th Street Bridge.

The City of Yuba City is committed to providing the highest quality service; we thank all those fisherman and recreationalists who use this navigational channel under the 5^th Street Bridge for their cooperation and understanding. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the planned closure, please contact Paul Chang at 530-763-4789 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Rooster Tails Fishing Club monthly breakfast will be held at the Auburn Elks Lodge at 195 Pine Street in Auburn on Friday, June 21st.  This free event is open to club members, spouses, and non-member guests.  Doors to the Lodge open at 7:00 a.m. to share fresh brewed coffee.  A fantastic $15 wide-selection buffet breakfast is served at 8:00 am, followed at 9:00 am with special guest speaker, Jordan Farmer, owner of PhotographyMyWay , a professional photographer and photography instructor. Jordan has taught thousands of people over ten years how to use their cameras.

 
Long after the details of your magnificent fish fades, the photograph you took will allow you to relive the excitement of the fight, the challenge of netting, and maybe even the fantastic dinner that was made from it. A quality image of that moment-in-time freezes the excitement and happiness that will allow you to relive the catch over and over again (besides providing proof of your fish story!). Some people might argue that we have become obsessed with taking “selfie” pictures with our smart phones rather than living in the moment. However, just that one perfect photo will tell it all!

These days we frequently take photos on our smart phones for granted. But just think about that for a minute...beyond fishing photos, how amazing is it that you could capture your grandchildren doing something wonderful so that special memories will be there to hold and share forever.  Please bring the photographer in your family to the meeting...your spouse, partner, or family members

PhotographyMyWay has 4 locations in the Sacramento region committed to offering practical hands-on classes focused on topics the average photographer would actually use. Most classes are capped at 8 students and offer continued support outside the class via phone, Email or Facebook.

The 30 year old, 200+ members Rooster Tails Fishing Club of Northern California, Inc. is a non-profit organization that meets the third Friday of each month to educate, entertain, and enhance fishing experience.  Unlike many bass and fly fishing clubs that concentrate on very specific types of fishing, the Rooster Tails Fishing Club provides a balanced mix of fishing techniques presented by fishing experts targeting a variety of fish species on multiple types of waters. For more information contact Jim, Club Chairman, 530-887-0479, or visit the club’s web site at www.roostertailsfishingclub.org.

Wheatland, Ca.

In what has become a June tradition, Sourdough Slim returns June 20 to Pioneer Hall in Wheatland with his songs, jigs, yodeling and hearty laugh generating humor.   These annual events are enjoyed by folks of all ages. 

Spokesman Martin Heatlie emphasized admission for the show is free, but donations are welcomed.  He said: "We want everybody to be able to enjoy the event."   

In the past, donations have been used to help maintain the 100+ year old historic Pioneer Hall.  But this year’s donations will go towards helping Paradise.to recover from last year’s devastating fire. 

The show starts at 7 PM Thursday at Pioneer Hall, which is located at 4th and B Streets in Wheatland.  A pre-show chili dinner starting at 6 PM will be available at the Hall for $5. 

Thursday night's performance also includes special guests Harmonica Hank and Mother Lode Mandy of Marysville.  Free ice cream, lemonade, etc., will be available during the intermission.  This will be an evening of delightful entertainment suitable for all ages.

Sourdough Slim, a Northern California resident, has appeared with his accordion, harmonica, guitar, and vocal gymnastics at many county and state fairs.  He has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Elko Nevada National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, and many other locations across the US and abroad.

For more information, call Heatlie at 633–9334.

-Gold Lake - Sly Creek Reservoir - Little Grass Valley Reservoir-

QUINCY, Ca.

Volunteer campground hosts are needed for several Plumas National Forest campgrounds located at Gold Lake Campground in the Lakes Basin Recreation Area near Graeagle, California and Little Grass Valley and Sly Creek Reservoir Campgrounds near La Porte, California. The volunteer positions typically begin in May or early June (depending on the weather) and last into September or October, again, depending on the weather. 

“If you’re enthusiastic about camping and like people, this may be a perfect summer activity,” said Jeremy Dorsey, resource officer for the Beckwourth Ranger District. Host duties may include welcoming visitors, sharing news and information about recreational opportunities in the area, and light campground maintenance. Hosts must provide their own self-contained RV or trailer and personal vehicle.

For more information about the Gold Lake Campground host position, please contact the Beckwourth Ranger District at 530-836-2575. If you are interested in hosting at Little Grass Valley Reservoir or Sly Creek Reservoir Campgrounds, contact the Feather River Ranger District at 530-534-6500.

Additional forest information is available at http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/plumas/home and www.Facebook.com/usfsplumas.

Marysville, Ca

 Now that warm weather has returned, it’s time for some outdoor fun.  Making their Yuba-Sutter debut, the Folias Duo will present a program of all original classical music for flute and guitar influenced by Argentine tango, Astor Piazzolla, jazz and world music. The duo, Andrew Bergeron and Carmen Maret, are performers, composers and music educators based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For the past fifteen years, this husband and wife duo has established themselves as one of the world’s premier composer/performer ensembles for flute and guitar.

The concert will be held on Saturday, June 22.  A reception will be held in the courtyard starting at 5:30 pm followed by the concert at 7 in The Burrows Theater, 630 E Street in Marysville.  General admission tickets are $15 which includes appetizers. Wine and beer will be available.  Free parking is available on the side streets and in the adjacent Umpqua Bank and Bank of America parking lots. 

As both tango dancers and tango musicians, Carmen Maret and Andrew Bergeron of the Folias Duo have performed at tango milongas and taught musicality classes featuring their own “Golden Era” tango arrangements since 2003.

Having composed more than fifty original compositions for this intimate combination, Folias Duo’s performances have taken them to venues throughout the United States, Europe and South America. Bergeron and Maret have a fearless approach to developing new repertoire, an expertise for Argentine tango, and a passion for South American folk.  As Fanfare Magazine writes: “Carmen Maret and Andrew Bergeron are facile players…they draw on tango rhythms and melodies sometimes; at other times they write with a scenic sensitivity, mysterious, charming and evocative.”

In addition to their adventurous touring schedule, Folias Duo has established a reputation as one of the premier flute and guitar performer-composer duos in the studio. With six albums, including their most recent, Dreaming to Live, the duo champions original classical music and enjoys sharing their flair for multiple musical genres.

Come support live music in the community and hear two great and very gifted musicians.

 Marysville, Ca.

 Homelessness in Yuba County and the plans in motion to address the ongoing challenges will be discussed in two community meetings this month. The meeting is open to both Yuba County residents and those operating businesses in the county.

The Community Assembly on Homelessness meetings, scheduled for June 12 and June 20, will give the public an opportunity to hear from both local officials and community-based agencies that have been working to address the local homeless issues. Those with questions about the community response to homelessness are encouraged to present such queries in advance by going online to www.surveymonkey.com/r/forwardyubasutter.

The following public officials are scheduled to speak at both events:

• Yuba County Administrator Robert Bendorf
• Yuba County Sheriff Wendell Anderson
• Marysville Police Chief Chris Sachs
• Yuba County Homeless Project Manager Chaya Galicia

The June 12 community meeting will be held 9-11 a.m. at the Yuba County Government Center, located at 915 Eighth Street in Marysville. The June 20 meeting will be held 6-8 p.m. at the Yuba County Health and Human Services Department, located at 5730 Packard Avenue in Linda.

The Early Riser Kiwanis Club of Yuba City has awarded nine (9) $2,000 scholarships to local high school seniors on behalf of the Vern Williams Scholarship Program, the Early Riser Academic and Key Club Scholarship Program. The recipients were selected from twenty-four applications. Interviews were conducted before the field was reduced to the final nine students.

The Vern Williams Scholarship was created in memory of Vern Williams, a long-time community volunteer and fellow Early Riser Kiwanian who had a special dedication to the youth in our area. His untimely death spurred the club to do something in remembrance of his love for youth and his desire to help them enjoy a happy and successful life. This scholarship provides financial assistance to students who have overcome difficult obstacles or demonstrated a marked change in behavior to successfully graduate from an alternative education program or any of the area high schools and who demonstrate a commitment to improving the quality of their lives through education.

Recipients of the Early Riser Academic Program, in addition to academic achievement, must demonstrate a strong desire to further their education and a life plan that embraces community involvement, a desire to make the most of their individual potential and a commitment to improving the quality of their lives through education.

The Key Club Scholarship is awarded to outstanding Early Riser Key Club Members who in addition to academic achievement, and a desire to make the most of their individual potential, have demonstrated a commitment to their schools and communities through the use of their leadership skills and volunteerism.

The club’s annual “Brews, Blues and BBQ” event is the source of the funding. This year, the “Brews, Blues and BBQ” event will be held at the Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 7, 2019 from 4 – 8 p.m. with all proceeds benefiting vital education and scholarship programs for children and young adults in our community.

PHOTOGRAPH OF RECIPIENTS ATTACHED.

Back row, Left to right: Joel Arnold (Committee Member), Jesse Santana (Committee Member) and David Flores (President, ERK)

Middle row, Left to right: Joshua Barriga, Emmanuel Zamora, Anthony Flores, and William Blake Gouker.

Front row, Left to right: Emmanuel Oregel, Jazmin Borrayo, Amarjot Mann, Laura Lopez Romo, Husandeep Kaur Toor, Annette Gisi (Committee Member) and Irma Santana (Committee Chair).

June 15^th 10am—2pm

            We are thrilled to announce our Grand Re-Opening! After 6 months of renovations, we’re ready to share all of our hard work with you. Our celebration will have the whole museum open again, a new temporary exhibit called Frida Kahlo’s Garden, activities for kids inside and out, the fantastic bluegrass band Mike & George and Their Pleasant Valley Boys, and two wonderful food trucks, Potato Patoto and Masa Guiseria.

            This event is FREE (except for the food trucks) and suitable for families with children of all ages. Come join us to celebrate our grand re-opening!

            The Community Memorial Museum is located at 1333 Butte House Road in Yuba City. Regular open hours are Tuesday-Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 12pm-4pm. Admission is free. For more information, call the Museum at 530.822.7141 or visit our website www.suttercountymuseum.org.

LIVE OAK

Live Oak Community Blood Drive

Thursday, June 27

3 – 6 p.m.

Located on the bloodmobile at Power Market

9811 Live Oak Blvd.

As a thank you, receive a $5 Dutch Bros. card!

OROVILLE

Bangor Community Blood Drive

Thursday, June 20

3  – 7 p.m.

Located on the bloodmobile

Bangor Community Hall

7500 Oroville Bangor Highway

As a thank you, receive a $5 Starbucks card!

Feather River Cinemas Blood Drive

Sunday, June 23

Noon  –  4 p.m.

Located on the bloodmobile

2690 Feather River Blvd.

As a thank you, receive a movie pass in-hand!

Oroville Association of Realtors Blood Drive

Tuesday, June 25

9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Located in the Association Office Conference Room

2120A Robinson Street

As a thank you, receive a $5 Starbucks card!

YUBA CITY/MARYSVILLE

Sierra Central Credit Union Blood Drive

Wednesday, June 12

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Located on the bloodmobile

1351 Harter Parkway, Yuba City

Participants receive a promo code for a $10 voucher for Fandango or Chipotle for 200 rewards.

AdventistHeath+Rideout Senior Living Blood Drive

Tuesday, June 18

11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Located on the bloodmobile

1240 Williams Way, Yuba City

Participants receive a promo code for a $10 voucher for Fandango or Chipotle for 200 rewards.

AdventistHeath+Rideout Hospital Blood Drive

Tuesday, June 25

10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Located on the bloodmobile

726 4^th Street, Marysville

Participants receive a promo code for a $10 voucher for Fandango or Chipotle for 200 rewards.

Members of the Yuba City Police Department will be escorting the “flame of hope” torch as they run an 1.8 mile stretch through Yuba City on Wednesday, June 19th at 9am. This will be one of many “legs” of the run and the torch will be handed off to Marysville Police Department in front of the Wheeler Auto Center on Colusa Highway.

This Law Enforcement Torch run for Special Olympics Northern California has been around for many years and precedes the Special Olympic Games which will take place at the UC Davis campus on Saturday, June 21st.

Community members are invited and encouraged to come to the front of the Police Department the morning of June 19th at 8:45am and send off the runners as they leave with the torch. The route will be from Poole Blvd. to Civic Center Blvd. to Colusa Highway and then up to Wheeler Auto Center at the base of the 10th Street Bridge. The roadway will remain open as the runners will be utilizing the sidewalk. Due to safety concerns, members of the public will not be allowed to run the route nor hold the torch. If anyone has any questions, please contact Katy Goodson at 822-4725.