EAST VALLEY TIMES COMMUNITY NEWS PAGE 4—May 7, 2015 www.eastvalleytimes.com UPCOMING EVENTS ACAWL to hold jewelry, plant sale on Saturday may 9 Another Chance Animal Welfare League will hold its semi-annual jewelry sale and annual plant sale at the Thrift Store from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, 2015. They have been accepting donations of jewelry throughout the year and always have a good selection. Volunteers have also been raising vegetable plants and flowers for months. The Thrift Store in located at 9384 Deschutes Road in the north end of the Palo Cedro Village Shopping center. May Concerts Showcase Conductor & Pianist: Climax of a Symphony’s Quest may 9 & 10 The North State Symphony’s year-long journey in search of a new Conductor/ Music Director approaches its final destination. The Symphony’s final concert of the season, called ARRIVE!, will be played on May 9th in Redding at the Cascade Theatre, and on May 10th in Laxson Auditorium, CSU Chico. Peter Jaffe, Music Director of the Stockton and Auburn Symphonies, takes the NSS podium as the last of four finalists who hope to permanently lead the only professional classical orchestra in the region. Jaffe has led the Stockton Symphony for many years and has extensive national and international experience as conductor and violinist. He is especially known for the imaginative concerts he has designed. Peter Jaffe’s program with North State Symphony covers a broad spectrum of orchestral music. In both Redding and Chico, involves sewing tiny beads together. Other craft items for sale will include candles, soap, woven goods, crystal and stone jewelry. The Beadman is located at 2619 Park Marina Drive in Redding. Foothill High School Choir to perform Fourth Annual “ Warp Time” Show may 27 Volunteers paint doors and move landscape rock at Junction school on Saturday May 25, 2015 May 31 Peter Jaffe Beethoven’s Piano Concerto #3 will be played by Natalya Shkoda. She is currently on the faculty at California State University, Chico. The Redding concert on Saturday, May 9th begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available the Cascade Theatre Box Office 2438877. The Chico concert on Sunday, May 10th begins at 2:00 p.m. Tickets may be purchased through the University Box Office at 898-6333. Audience members may hear Peter Jaffe speak an hour prior to the concerts. For more information, go to www.northstatesymphony. org or call 898-5984 to the four-concert series at $70 (adults), $35 (students), and $175 (family package: which includes two adults and two or more children) through April 30, 2015. For more information: call 530-247-7355 or visit the association online at www.shastalive.com, SCCA Shasta Live P.O. Box 493979, Redding, CA 96049-3979. As an added bonus new members will receive free tickets to the last show “Steve Lippia: In Simply Sinatra”. Shasta Live! will also continue their sponsorship of the Fine Arts Enrichment program, a student outreach performance series in support of arts education in the Redding community. Established in 2000, 53 artists have performed for over 30,000 area students from 58 schools. Since their move to the Cascade Theatre in 2012, every outreach performance presented by Shasta Live! has filled the 900 seat venue to capacity. The Redding “Floating of the Lanterns,” fashioned after the Buddhist Peace Practice of Hawaii held each Memorial Day weekend in Honolulu, will take place on Sunday, May 31, 2015, commencing at 7:00 p.m. with a traditional Sikh buffet provided by The Sikh Centre of Anderson. The lantern float begins at 8:30 p.m. on Park Marina Pond. The event will include food, music, silence, reading of the interfaith peace prayers by members of the Shasta County Interfaith Forum and observance of the floating of the lanterns. The event is open to the public but minors must be accompanied by an adult. Anyone wishing to participate by sponsoring a peace lantern may do so for $20. This mindfulness practice focuses attention and energies on connecting inner wisdom with daily living and creating a nonviolent, peaceful world. The Center for Spiritual Living and the Shasta County Interfaith Forum are co-sponsors, encouraging all to enjoy the candle lit peace lanterns as they are floated onto Park Marina Pond at dusk in a ceremony of reverence for peace. Each lantern carries a prayer of peace from one of eight different faith traditions or one inspirational quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., along with a Japanese calligraphy peace symbol. Those in attendance should park along Park Marina Drive and walk across the street to 2001 Park Marina Drive or the picnic area behind Budget River Inn. Participants should bring their own lawn chairs, water bottles, sun screen, and bug spray; a $5 per person donation is suggested. For more information or to sponsor a peace lantern, please call 2438862 or visit www.lynnfritz. com. KKRN • 88.5 “Just Serve” - Service Project at Junction School By Kimberley Christofferson Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Palo Cedro Ward participated in a “Just Serve” volunteer day on Saturday, April 25, 2015. In addition to 10 school volunteers, approximately 30 members of the Palo Cedro Ward congrega- tion worked at Junction School painting classroom doors, cleaning out planters, putting down weed barrier and placing rock into the planter beds. “Just Serve” is an annual church service day where members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout the world participate in service projects in their community. fm Bella Vista • Community Radio from Round Mountain The volunteers of KKRN Community Radio Thank You, our communities, for your generous support during our Bella Vista The Board of Trustees for Bella Vista Elementary School District on April 14, 2015 recognized three employees for their work on the Healthy School Initiative. They are PE teacher Julie Reuter, cafeteria manager Kim Morris, and teacher Jamie Brown who has taken charge of the school’s garden. Superintendent Charlie Hoffman also recognized all the main office staff for their work on the District’s CALPADS (student information data) for which Bella Vista had received a certificate of excellence from the state. Principal Renae Burson gave the Board a detailed update on the implementation of the LCAP and plans for revisions to next year’s plans. She said that since fourth and fifth graders had not been as successful as the rest of the students in response to the academic intervention program, the District had purchased Read Naturally, a highly recommended new reading program to use with them for the rest of this year and next. Burson also reported that the school was working to counter chronic low attendance through monthly, rather than yearly, perfect attendance rewards. The Board approved changes to the District’s Core Values as recommended by a Board committee and the school staff. The changes involve three additions (in bold): 1. “We will continually pursue excellence in our students and in our staff through professional development.” 2. “We will continuously self-evaluate and improve through the use of data.” 3. We will support our teachers through an administrative structure that prioritizes our principal’s focus upon instructional leadership. Burson reported that she had gone to an AVID leadership training that had proved very valuable in terms of networking and gaining new ideas. She said a site visit to a school in Napa Valley that has been doing AVID for years proved very valuable. “It was very powerful to see KENNY DOELKER BACKHOE SERVICE KKRN: Radio By and For our Communities! Fostering positive social change and healthy communities to support KKRN call 530–337–1101 or go to kkrn.org 4-14-15 Whitmore 4-14-15 State fails to provide more bandwidth to rural schools for testing The Board of Trustees for Whitmore Union Elementary School District on April 14, 2015 recognized first grader Parker Reed and sixth grader Herndon Robert as students of the month for March. Ms. Gonzales, the K-3 teacher, told the Board that Parker had worked hard to improve his grades last month, and Mrs. German said that Herndon could be counted on at any time to follow through with instructions and help out in her classroom. Each student received a certificate and a medal. Superintendent Larry Robins reported that it did not appear that the school will have any increased bandwidth to facilitate the computerized state testing on the horizon this month. Earlier in the school year, the state had informed small outlying districts they were going to try to make increased bandwidth available to them by spring, but apparently the officials in charge of the program had From left to right: Mrs. Jessica German, Herndon Roberts, Parker Reed, Ms. Cindy Gonzalez underestimated the number of rural districts and the cost of providing the promised service. Robins had said at a previous meeting that he believed the school could provide enough bandwidth to accommodate the test by suspending all other computer use during the testing periods. Robins also presented the school calendar for 2015-16 and updated salary schedules for the staff. The Board will SERVICES: • Backhoes • Graders License# 784619 • Dozer • Site Work • Directional Boring • All Types of Underground Email: [email protected] • Office: 223-6267 • Cell: 949-9541 Superintendent Frank Adelman reported to the Oak Run Elementary School District Board of Trustees on April 15, 2015 that enrollment for their Public Montessori School set to open next fall currently stands at 60 students, with 13 in kindergarten, 29 in first through third grade, and 18 in fourth through eighth grade, with most of those in fourth grade. He said the additional funding for the increased number of students would allow them vote on both at their meeting in May. The Board discussed and approved the Authorized Reserve for Economic Uncertainties and the updated policy for the use of Epi-Pens. Robins reminded the Board that the Parents’ Club will be holding its Taco Dinner on May 1st and the students will be participating the Whitmore Mountain Music Faire Parade on May 9th. NCCS 4-21-15 Board hears presentation on Eagle Scout project Principla Renae Burson presents a certificate of recognition to Kim Morris. Principal Renae Burson (right) presents a certificate of recognition to Julie Reuter. students working at such a high level,” she said. Hoffman said that he had attended a statewide legislative action day and felt that legislators had wanted to hear what they had to say. Trustee Greg Covington reported that he had been very impressed by the talent and learning of the young musicians who performed at the Spring Concert on Mar. 26. Trustee Lisha Stockton reported that the recent Book Fair had earned over $1000 in Scholastic dollars that will be used to purchase new books for the library. On April 21, 2015 the Governing Board for North Cow Creek Elementary School District heard a presentation from Noah Parham who recently completed refurbishing the long jump track at the school for his Eagle Scout project. Helped by 29 other Scouts and friends, Parham removed weeds, put down new landscaping fabric and dirt, and built a new frame to contain the sand at the landing site. Board members took a field trip out to inspect the work and were very pleased with the results. Superintendent/principal Jeff Harris reported that he had signed an agreement with the Shasta County YMCA to operate a collaborative preschool on the NCCS campus next year. The preschool will be open each day that school is in session, from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Families can choose to have their children attend five days per week (for $550 per month) or three days per week ($353 per month). Enrollment will be limited to 30 students on a first come, first served basis and registration packets are now available in the NCCS office and at the YMCA. Noah Parham (left) explains his Eagle Scout project to the North Cow Creek School District Board of Trustees as Allen Toney holds up his display board for him. Harris also reported that the California Energy Commission had ruled that NCCS cannot use the $250,000 Proposition 39 money it is entitled to because, with its solar system operating, it cannot show any reduction in its power bill. Harris said he contacted “all sorts of people with power” to advocate for them and get the rules changed so that schools like NCCS which are ahead of the curve in reducing their energy costs won’t be penalized for doing so. The Board voted to enter Board plans for public Montessori school opening in fall Together we keep our community radio station on the air. KKRN FM is Grass Roots • Local • Diverse • Independent • Volunteer Based Village Shopping center to the school on May 6, and that evening they will exhibit their Science Fair projects. Fourth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders will also have their projects on display. The Safe Routes to School letter writing campaign will kick off that night as well. May 8th is the Education Foundations major fundraiser, “Taste for the Future” at the Ponderosa Ridge Ranch in Anderson. Tickets are $40 at the door. Call 378-4366 for directions. Teachers reported that they are excited about the new electives planned for all grades next year, and Superintendent/principal Rich Gifford reported that enrollment keeps creeping up which will bring more funding to the District next year. May 7, 2015—PAGE 5 Oak Run 4-15-15 Spring 2015 Pledge Drive and throughout the past year. You are proving what we believe to be true: There are people in Shasta County and the rest of the Northstate who will listen and choose to support great, local, independent radio. Williams. In open session, his representatives said they would be filing a racial discrimination law suit against the District. Junction has a busy calendar this spring, so full, in fact, that the Palo Cedro Lions are postponing their “Parents’ Night Out” fundraiser until next fall. The Lions had planned to raise money to purchase two robotics kits and accompanying curriculum for the District, but the kits and curriculum will be purchased by the Junction Education Foundation instead. A Shasta High School student will assist in the robotics program, and the school is also planning to offer a robotics element in its new summer program as well. Students will ride their bikes from the Palo Cedro Board recognizes staff for exceptional work Interfaith Event for “The Floating of the Lanterns” Shasta Live! announces 2015-2016 concert season Shasta Live! is an allvolunteer concert organization, presenting an annual performance series in Redding, California. Their 2015-2016 series features world-class performers Cotton Wine on Friday, October 9, 2015; Kevin Johnson on Wednesday, November 4, 2015; Caravan of Thieves on Friday, January 29, 2016; and the season closer, Stringfever on Wednesday, May 4, 2016. Shasta Live! is also proud to sponsor student programs in support of arts education. Organization president Jane Wittmann said, “We are committed to bringing highquality family entertainment to the community. This new roster of artists is an exceptional example of our own unique contribution to the entertainment landscape in Redding.” Shasta Live! is making a special offer to celebrate their 2015-2016 campaign kick-off with early-bird season tickets At the April 15, 2015 meeting of the Board of Trustees for Junction School District, third grade students led the pledge and reported that they are doing art projects based on Shasta County history and are taking a field trip to Shasta Caverns. In science they are working with prisms, and in math they are doing geometry. They also have a recycling program underway. The board approved hiring Susannah Sbragia as the District’s new business manager. The Board also approved a two percent salary schedule pay increase for the teachers and other staff, plus an additional one-time, two percent pay raise. The Board voted in closed session to uphold the termination of custodian Kenny MAY 9 This amazing, one-night performance will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, 2015 at The David Marr Auditorium. Tickets may be purchased in advance for $5 by calling the high school at 547-1700 (between 8:00 10:00 daily) and asking for the band room Tickets may also be purchased at the door for $7. 4-15-15 Board gives staff raises, hires new business manager Bead artist to benefit ACAWL The Foothill High School Choir will perform a musical journey through seven decades; they will be accompanied by The Foothill High School Jazz Combo as the house band for the evening. The young musicians will be performing songs from the decades between 1955 and 2015. SCHOOL BOARD HIGHLIGHTS Junction REPORT CARD The Beadman will hold its Eleventh Annual Craft Faire from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on May 9, 2015. Bead artist Michaela will host a booth to benefit Another Chance Animal Welfare League. She specializes in “seed beading” which EAST VALLEY TIMES www.eastvalleytimes.com to hire three teachers and either three full time instructional aides or six if they were all half time. Adelman also reported that the District had one operational bus and one that could be repaired for $21,000. He said he would like to be able to run a bus down to Palo Cedro to pick up students from the valley who wanted to attend Oak Run, so he was recommending that the second bus be repaired. The District has a bus driver for the local route and will be advertising for a second one to do the Palo Cedro run. They are also advertising for a 3.8 hour custodian, so he is hopeful one person could do both jobs. Montessori Director Cristan Norman asked if the District would consider adopting a trimester report card schedule rather than a two-semester system. She said in her experience the trimester schedule offered teachers more opportunities to inform parents about their children’s progress. Adelman said it would be fairly easy to change over to a trimester system when the Board adopted its 201516 calendar. Norman also said she planned to develop a new report card for the school that is based on Montessori and Common Core Standards. Adelman gave the Board an update on the school’s progress in implementing the LCAP goals for this year. He said that teachers had not been able to do as much project-based learning as they had planned because testing showed that fifty percent of the students were performing below grade level in reading and math. As a result teachers spent a lot of time working to bring up students level of achievement. He also noted that 41 percent of the school’s current students were absent more than 10 days per year, which qualifies as chronic absenteeism. He said that was something the school needed to address with parents from day one next year. into a contract with Junction School District to provide music services so the two schools could share a music teacher starting next year. Harris said together they could afford to offer an 80 percent position. Foothill High School Band Director Mitch Barr and retired NCCS music teacher Jaci Voelz have both offered to help with the interview process. The Board discussed new athletic policy rules and regulations written by the superintendent. They liked the guidelines for the fourth/ fifth grade and sixth/seventh grade teams which stressed inclusion and learning skills over competition and winning, but some members disagreed with the guidelines for the seventh/eighth A Team, which stated it is “the most competitive atmosphere middle school has to offer” and playtime is at the discretion of the coach. “Even with the seven/eight teams, we want to convey to the coaches that it’s not all about winning,” said Board member Cindy Butler. Harris asked Board members to email him their ideas for a coaches packet as that is what he will be working on next. EAST VALLEY TIMES COUNTRY LIVING PAGE 6—May 7, 2015 www.eastvalleytimes.com Caring for critical foals an emotional rollercoaster April 24 mind. He does not know that he is 99 percent hairless and looks It is 4:42 a.m. and I am sitting at the ancient computer in a bit odd; he does not know that our kitchen. Our rescue laptop he is at death’s door and touch just crashed again, and it seems and go, hour to hour if not minto be needing either a bullet or a ute to minute. As he continued graveyard. I mean really, on top to walk around and explore the of the broken washing machine entire equine vet area at Crossroads, he made it clear that he (I need it to wash the babies’ is just a little horse looking to soiled blankets and I think that eat, play and sleep, and there is is what killed it - oops), now the no way we can quit on a baby rescue lap top?? This computer like that! is okay for emails, but cannot May 1 support the financial files and I can’t believe it has been programs, and last I heard the 23 days since we started takIRS likes your files to be readily ing care of these babies. All of available I have to say that it is over- Maverick gets an oxygen treatment from the machine on loan them are still having breathing whelming on top of what is to Chilly Pepper Miracle Mustang. issues and three of them have full on pneumonia. They are happening with these four little Matt Armstrong and Robert Bradshaw lift Maverick on a blanfoals. All of them are really sick. We had thought Flash was fighting scours and poor Maverick has pretty much lost all of his ket to move him. healthy, but he is apparently dealing with the same thing the oth- hair. Never before have I had a bald baby to care for. It is amazers are. ing to me that this far into their care I am still literally, and I mean TO HAPPEN! Of course if we lived in a decent and humane As I sit here I have the biggest lump in my throat. I feel like that with a vengeance, having to care for them 24/7. I have been world these babies would not have been torn from their mothers sobbing and I am afraid if I start I will never stop. The emotional up since April 7th with only a cat nap here and there. Reminds in the first place. But if Matt and I had arrived on April 7 and started caring for them in a temperature-controlled environment, roller coaster is somewhat devastating, especially with the lack of me of Honey Bandit. sleep, but you cannot share that negative energy with these babies. Maverick’s fevers have spiked at 105 at their highest, and his none of them would be nearly as sick as they are. These babies Maverick crashed and came close to dying the night before temperature has dropped to 95 degrees. a normal foal tempera- cannot regulate their body temperatures and need to be treated in last and yesterday. I was up till 3:00 a.m. without even stopping ture should be about 101, and these changes are serious. There a warm room if its cold outdoors. The four or five days that these to close my eyes and when daylight finally arrived we thought he is no rhyme or reason for the changes; they are not connected to guys were freezing may have been the deciding factor. was stable. He and Shanny were messing around in the stall when where he is or what he is doing. We have been checking his tem- So I am asking anyone and everyone to try and donate $5 tosuddenly his legs buckled. He started swaying side to side like a perature about every hour. He is still struggling to breathe times, wards the trailer we need to care for these babies. We do not very drunk person and it was obvious there was no communication and he needs the breathing treatment at any and all hours of the mind driving thousands of miles and spending all of our time and between his brain and his extremities. At one point he fell to the night. We are now also using a hot air vaporizer and our friend a great deal of our resources to try and help a dying foal when we ground. My heart was pounding and it felt like I had been hit with just showed up with an oxygen machine. We just may have a are called. I truly believe that this is what God wants us to do and He continues to put these babies in front of us. However, we do a sledge hammer. I wanted to scream because my brain knew what chance. was happening, but I couldn’t accept it. Matt quietly said “He is The vets seem as mystified as we are as to why the fevers keep mind not having the right equipment. dying - he is shutting down.” My mind was screaming “NO!” occurring. The massive array of blood work and tests that were We have found a used trailer with living quarters and a closed We called the vet and while waiting for a return call I realized done all came back negative for Mav. All 3 babies (not Flash) in stall area that can be heated for the foals. Its price has been that his breathing was the worst I had ever heard. We gave him a have been on a strong antibiotic for the last 10 days, and let me reduced to $13,500 for Chilly Pepper - Miracle Mustang. This is treatment with the Vibra VM ( a machine donated when we had tell you, giving poor Maverick two shots a day into that tiny body an amazing price for a trailer with living quarters; most of them Ikey and Mikey that helps open up airways and break up the con- through that delicate pink baby skin is really stressful if you think are upwards of $20 thousand. If we are able to buy it, we will gestion in the lungs). A few minutes later he wanted to go outside. about it. It is ironic though, of all three, he minds his shots the be able to provide the same quality of care on the road that we provide when we are safe at home in our nursery. I figured if he was going to die it would be on his terms and so out least. we went. Tears of joy rolled down my face as I watched him in On a very bright note, the washing machine is fixed and I People are always asking us to save this baby or that baby, astonishment. The legs that moments before were buckling and didn’t break it after all. And an even happier note than that is once and we always try to answer as many calls as we can, but we need giving out were supporting a bucking and bouncing little mess. again God showed us He as His own plans. One of the repairmen your help with this part. You can go to our website at ChillypepMaverick was playing, and it was obvious that once again he had is interested in adopting Flash. This is definitely worth going per.org or go to Paypal at [email protected] or U.S. brain function. After talking to the vet, we realized he simply without a washing machine for a week. What makes this so spe- Mail to Chilly Pepper - Miracle Mustang, 34694 Sidebottom Rd. was not getting any oxygen due to his congestion. Moments after cial is that Flash is going to need a very special home, as he is off Shingletown, CA 96088, and remember, all donations are tax dehe went outside a huge amount of mucous came out of that cute the charts full of himself. It won’t matter how good his manners ductible. little nose. He had been suffocating and his brain started shutting are when he leaves here if he does not have the right home where We have been enjoying visitors nearly every day. If you want down due to lack of oxygen, but PTL the machine had saved him. someone will stay on top of what he knows and make him mind to come and see these babies please call at 530 474 5197. Thank you as always for your prayers and support for our We spent the rest of the day with our friends Les Stedronsky each and every day. and her amazing husband driving us to Crossroads for, yes, even My computer needs to go away unfortunately. In typical American Heritage, our Wild Horses! Let’s keep them out of more blood work, and then they took x rays of his chest. He has fashion it does not crash for the repairman. However it is losing slaughter and the cruel and inhumane practices used on the horses Broncho Pneumonia and Pharyingitis. Sharyn Cornelius met us files in a completely random fashion and is definitely not reliable. that are sent to slaughter. These babies deserve a chance at a there and rushed his blood down to Fed Ex so we could get the So that is another issue we will have to get taken care of. Defi- happy life, and together we can make a difference. results back quickly. So now between all of the vet bills, paper- nitely not boring around here. work etc. from Washington State and the two different vet bills I think the most difficult part of all this is not the endless days Thank you from all of us! down here we have spent about $1800 for the four babies and with no sleep, the tear filled hours watching Maverick struggle to Matt, Palomino & the Gang their medications. As usual, we are always wishing these babies breathe and knowing you are doing everything and it still might Sad news to report. Despite Palomino’s round-the-clock came with a checkbook, but alas that is not the case. As Sharyn not be enough, the frustrations as you watch him struggle to do care, Maverick continued to decline and was euthanized at pointed out, Maverick definitely is not a dying baby in his little the smallest thing, but the fact that this suffering DID NOT HAVE Crossroads Veterinary Clinic on Sunday night. Ed. Food and Farm News — A service of the California Farm Bureau Federation April 29, 2015 Water shortages to be on the agenda At two different venues next Tuesday, California farmers will describe the impact of water shortages. In Fresno, the State Board of Food and Agriculture will host a “drought forum,” to hear from farmers, ranchers and farm employees. In Sacramento, the State Water Resources Control Board will discuss emergency urban water regulations, and the San Diego County Farm Bureau will describe potential effects on farmers who buy water from urban agencies and could face severe cutbacks. Recycled water to be studied A two-year project will look at how to make recycled water more useful on farms. The University of California, Riverside, will work with water districts in the region to see if wastewater can be treated in ways that provide the nutrients needed by specific crops. The researchers will cooperate with colleagues in Israel, where farmers have used recycled water extensively, and where some production losses have started to occur as a result. Conservation award accepts nominations Nominations have opened for an annual award recognizing voluntary conservation by California landowners. The Leopold Conservation Award provides $10,000 in recognition of stewardship work by farmers and ranchers. The award will be presented at the California Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in December. The 2014 recipient, Full Belly Farm in Yolo County, stresses environmentally sound practices and conducts extensive outreach work. More schools feature California-grown food What started as a pilot project in Oakland last year has now spread to 42 school districts around California: School lunch menus feature “California Thursdays,” emphasizing foods made with ingredients grown in the state. Participating school districts include both large, urban districts and smaller suburban or rural schools. Sponsors of the project say schoolchildren prefer the locally grown, fresh food, and that the project also benefits local economies. April 22, 2015 Farm groups track water legislation As Californians struggle with drought and water shortages, legislators have offered dozens of bills aimed at addressing various aspects of the state’s water problems. Many of the measures focus on groundwater, which has become more important as surface-water supplies have dwindled. The California Farm Bureau Federation says it supports several of the bills, including one that would make adjudication of groundwater rights more efficient. Ranchers help conserve sagebrush habitat Conservation work by ranchers along the California-Nevada border has helped keep a bird off of the federal endangeredspecies list. Federal officials said Tuesday they have decided that the bi-state population of the greater sage grouse does not require protection. In announcing the decision, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell credited work by government and private partners to conserve sagebrush habitat needed by the grouse. Closures of biomass plants slow tree disposal When farmers remove orchards because of water shortages or other reasons, they can find themselves unable to dispose of the dead trees as quickly as they’d like. In recent years, farmers have provided trees to biomass power plants that burn wood chips to create energy. But biomass plants have been closing. The energy they generate proves relatively expensive, and utilities have chosen not to renew contracts for biomass power--leaving farmers looking for alternatives. Farmers’ actions enhance air quality Technical experts have met a scientific threshold for showing that voluntary actions by farmers are improving air quality in the San Joaquin Valley. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says specialists from its Natural Resources Conservation Service successfully made the case to federal environmental regulators. Programs to replace diesel engines on farms with lower-emission engines have offset the emissions from one million cars, the department says. April 15, 2015 Water shortages hit Klamath Basin Farmers in the far north of California have been added to the list of those facing water shortages. In the Klamath Basin along the California-Oregon border, farmers have been told to expect shortages of 35 percent to more than 50 percent. In some cases, farmers will receive no water from the federal irrigation project serving the region. The Klamath Basin has had four straight dry years. Field day looks at efficient irrigation Drought also affects desert growing areas in the Imperial Valley, and a University of California “field day” recently focused on water-saving irrigation methods. Presentations discussed irrigation techniques that reduce evaporation and that withhold water at specific times to reduce loss of yield during water cutbacks. The event also discussed production of Imperial Valley crops including bell peppers, alfalfa, and sugar beets. Rural areas prepare for wildfire With drought comes added fire risk, and state fire-safety officials fear an active season for wildfires. To help rural communities prepare, University of California forestry specialists promote the concept of “fire-adapted communities.” Such communities can survive a wildfire with little or no assistance from firefighters. A UC forestry advisor says a number of Sierra Nevada communities are working to reduce wildfire hazards. Grape acreage declines slightly Chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon varieties remain the most-widely planted wine grapes in California, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The top table-grape variety is Flame seedless, while Thompson seedless leads among raisin grapes. The amount of land planted in grapes declined statewide by 5,000 acres, to 928,000. Food and Farm News is a service of the California Farm Bureau Federation. For more information about any story, contact the Communications/News Division at 916.561.5550, or email news@cfbf. com. The information is also available on the Farm Bureau Federation website www.cfbf.com. EAST VALLEY TIMES May 7, 2015—PAGE 7 COW CREEK CORRAL www.eastvalleytimes.com Dressage riders come from far and wide to compete in Palo Cedro show Savanna Whisler shows her Haflinger mare Lovely Lady RP in Third Level, Test 1 at the Shasta Chapter CDS Spring Dressage Show at Two Bar Training Center in Palo Cedro on May 2, 2015. The horse/rider pair earned a score of 64.394% on the test and first place in the class. Marilyn Girt of Anderson shows her Hanoverian gelding De Stephano in Third Level, Test 1 at the Shasta Chapter CDS Spring Dressage Show on May 2-3 at Two Bar Training Center in Palo Cedro. The horse/rider pair earned a 63.939% for their performance and second place in the class. The Shasta Chapter CDS Spring Show took place last weekend at the Two Bar Trail Training Center in Palo Cedro. The two-day show drew 21 riders, including nine from Oregon, who rode 69 individual tests in front of judge Sue Curry-Shaffer of California. The high score for the show belongs to Taj Peterson of Arcata riding Armani who earned a 71.136% in Training Level, Test 3, but the rider with the highest cumulative scores for the weekend was Cassandra Soule of Jacksonville, Oregon riding Splendid in Black, who earned three 70% scores in First Level and a 74.3% in the Materiale class for 4/5 year old mares. Local riders who earned good scores at the show were: Jan Malik of Palo Cedro, who rode Lanciano to a 60.676% in Fourth Level, Test 1; Marilyn Girt of Anderson, who rode DeStephano to a 63.939% in Third Level, Test 1; Melinda Van Sweden of Cottonwood, who rode Lan Fertil to a 67.308% in Second Level, Test 2 and a 66.951% in Second Level, Test 3; Meghan Walker of Palo Cedro, who rode Zinedine to a 67.121% in Second level, Test 1 and a 66.923% in Second Level, Test 2; Mindy Nagel of Palo Cedro, who rode Custom to the Max to a 64.783% in Training Level, Test 1 (Opportunity) and a 66.154% in Training Level, Test 2 (Opportunity); Carol Wilson of Palo Cedro, who rode Finnigan SF to a 62.692% in Training Level, Test 2 (Opportunity); and Junior Rider Booklyn Aspling of Redding who rode One Karat Princess to a 66.750% in Introductory Test A and a 68.760% in Introductory Test B. The Shasta Chapter gives out five special/memorial awards each year. This year’s winners are: 1) Melinda Van Sweden riding Lan Fertil won the J. Vic Beckett Award for the highest percentage by a rider over 50 years of age; 2) Brooklyn Aspling riding One Karat princess won the Dorothy Walgamuth award for the highest percentage by a Shasta Chapter member; 3) Cassandra Soule riding Splendid in Black won the Two Bar Training Center for the highest percentage First Level or above; 4) Taj Petersen riding Armani won the Shasta Chapter Junior Dressage Award for the highest percentage by a junior rider; 5) Cassandra Soule riding Splendid in Black won the Lyn Read Award for the highest percentage by a Warmblood. Deschutes Self Storage EST. 2000 Unit sizes from 5’x10’ to 11’x30’ RV & Boat Storage 11’x30’ to 13’x40’ Palo Cedro’s Full Service Self Storage Facility 9050 Deschutes Rd. Palo Cedro (530) 547-5522 www.deschutesselfstorage.com Office Open: Mon-Fri—9:30 am-5:30 pm Sat—9:00 am-4:00 pm We Sell Boxes & Moving Supplies Greater Palo Cedro Area Chamber of Commerce Community C ean-up Day May 16 9:00-Noon Bishop Quinn Catholic Center parking lot Open to all East Valley Communities Unaccepted items: Hazardous Waste, Tires, Large Loads of Green Waste or Household Garbage Metal & Electronic Waste Accepted-Please Keep Separate P.O. Box 302 Palo Cedro, 96073 547-4554 www.palocedrochamber.org Sponsored by Deschutes Self Storage Unit sizes from 5’x10’ to 11’x30’ EST. 2000 RV & Boat Storage 11’x30’ to 13’x40’ Palo Cedro’s Full Service Self Storage Facility 9050 Deschutes Rd. Palo Cedro (530) 547-5522 www.deschutesselfstorage.com Office Open: Mon-Fri—9:30 am-5:30 pm Sat—9:00 am-4:00 pm We Sell Boxes & Moving Supplies
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