I’m sort of conflicted in writing this, as I don’t want all of you discovering how amazing she is, and now flooding her charts. I am very needy, and what I love about Portia is that she is always available to me. (Joking, but not really).

I know that medical care providers are inundated right now. I know that they are trying to wade through so much uncharted territory, and I know that they most often than not, don’t want to hear my five minute dissertation of my medical history.

However, when I go to Portia’s office, no matter what, I feel like she truly listens to my concerns, (even if that means she has to listen to my unrelated rambling for fifteen minutes).

She listens and smiles politely as I rant about every weird twinge and pain, she never makes me feel crazy or silly for what I’m telling her. At my last visit, just being able to talk to her made me feel better.

The added benefit of going to see her at her office is that I get to see Doria Dalu who works up front, who I could easily feature in an article all on her own. Doria is polite and funny and sassy, and any anxiety someone might have about going to the doctors would be eradicated when they stepped foot in that office.

They are just the embodiment of the bests parts of living in a small town. They know you. They care about you. They are willing to go the extra mile to help you, because to them, you aren’t just a patient, you are their friend, neighbor, etc.

Portia’s heart does not just extend to her love her work and patients, Portia is a very active community member. I love seeing her warm smile in church. Portia is a Lassen County native and we should be incredibly grateful that she decided to stay here and practice here. Our county is fortunate to have caregivers like Portia – smart enough to handle anything yet compassionate enough to understand anyone.

Which is why she is one of the reasons I love the place we live.

The organization has also started a brief program to subsidize the spaying of female cats, hopefully reducing the number of unwanted kittens this spring.

“Although we are not having fundraising events, we, of course, welcome cash donations. As always, we are greatly appreciative of the generous support we’ve always received from Lassen County residents and businesses.”

For details visit the society at lassenhumanesociety.org, or call 257-4555.

Now is the time to get those female cats spayed in order to prevent unwanted litters in the spring and the Lassen Humane Society’s cat spay subsidy program will help Lassen County residents who can’t afford the full cost of getting their cats spayed.

The Humane Society will pay $50 towards a cat spay surgery at one of the area vets.

This program started on January 1st, 2021 and is expected to run until 100 cats have been spayed.

Cat owners should contact the veterinary office of their choice right away to get an appointment as soon as possible.

Participating vets are:

Lassen Veterinary Service – 257-6311

Thompson Peak Veterinary Clinic – 253-3190

Nelson Veterinary Service – 258-7264

Chester Veterinary Clinic – 258-4242

Please note that only $50 will be paid towards the cost of a spay surgery and payments will be made directly to the participating veterinarians.

All costs above the $50 subsidy are the responsibility of the cat owner.

The determinations are not new planning decisions. Instead, they are a determination not to amend existing land use plans and thus, are not subject to appeal or protest.

They also represent the agency’s response to issues identified in an order issued in October 2019 by the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho, which placed a preliminary injunction on the implementation of 2019 BLM sage-grouse plans in Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, northeastern California, and Oregon.

States primarily manage wildlife species, and federal agencies like the BLM manage wildlife habitat. The 2019 plans were adopted after months of close coordination and cooperation with state governments in the affected states to better align BLM plans for managing habitat adopted in 2015 with state plans for conserving the species, including state plans for compensatory mitigation.

The 2019 plans received bipartisan support from the governors who sought changes to the earlier plans for their respective states.

The BLM continues to prioritize efforts to conserve Greater sage-grouse by restoring sagebrush habitat. In Fiscal Year 2020, the BLM invested over $37 million in treating and restoring sagebrush-steppe habitat on 584,000 acres of public lands.

The BLM has also adopted changes that would increase its ability to respond to the threat of wildfire, disease and habitat loss on public lands in a timely manner and authorize removal of encroaching vegetation from sage-steppe landscapes in need of restoration, enhancement or maintenance.

The agency recently established a new categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act to streamline the review of projects designed to curb the spread of pinyon-juniper woodlands on sagebrush habitat while also reducing wildfire fuel loads, which address a primary threat to Greater sage-grouse habitat as well as diminishing hazards to wildland firefighters and local communities.

Bid forms may be picked up at 221 S. Roop St., Ste. 4, Susanville, CA or at the Lassen County Sheriff motor pool site located at 1405 Sheriff Cady Lane, Susanville, CA and forms will be available at the viewing site during viewing hours.

For bid forms and additional information please visit the website at www.lassencounty.org.

Questions about auction items shall be directed to the viewing site manager during viewing hours.

Sealed Bids plainly marked “Surplus Vehicle Bid” will be accepted at the Lassen County Administrative Office, Attn: Samantha McMullen, 221 S. Roop Street, Suite 4, Susanville, CA 96130, on or before Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 2:00 p.m., at which time they will be publicly opened and read at same address.

The County reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive informalities and minor irregularities in bids.

The Fruit Growers Supply Company, starting January 17, went on a 48-hour week basis instead of the former 54 hours.

The mill will work from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., six days a week, the change being due to winter conditions.

In the six days ending January 12, the local branch of the company shipped to southern California, 60 carloads of box shook, setting up a weekly record.