I look at our SusanvilleStuff writers, like Shelley and Terra and Mom and I have no idea how they come up with interesting things to write about each week. I am fairly certain it takes discipline and determination… ask me in ten years how that worked out for me.

What is this column about? I think it’s about the place where we live, and the people who live here. The things we do, the way we think. The little things that make us unique.

We’ll talk about Susanville’s past and future. Because it is important.

A lot of the impetus behind my writing this column comes from wanting people in the rest of the world to see Susanville the way I see it. Through my lens.

Lassen County is a wonderful place and sometimes even the people who live here don’t realize how much better it is than the rest of the world.

We average just over 30,000 unique visitors each month here at SusanvilleStuff, and a sizable portion of our readers live elsewhere. There are a lot of people who used to live here, who still love Susanville, who read SusanvilleStuff in far off places around the world. This is for them too. For Marilyn in Colorado, Lisa in Washington, for Zak in Reno… people who still want to know what is going on around town.

I don’t know… the more I write the more I think that maybe this is better left to someone with more to say. Someone with some eloquence. Someone with style.

Me. 1978

You know what the tough thing is? As Publisher, Editor and Author it means if I do a bad job, I’m either going to have to fire myself or promote myself for my own incompetence.

Mrs. Couso and I were lucky enough to snag an invitation to the new Side Iron BBQ at the Pioneer Saloon last Friday night, for their big pre-opening party. It was nice to see lights on and people inside the Pioneer for the first time in a while. Seeing the gorgeous ‘Pioneer’ neon lit after several years was a joy.

Dustin and Emily Kelly and Sandee Alexander put out a great spread at the shindig, and while I haven’t seen a menu yet, I think this is going to be an awesome addition to our uptown sector.

It was also really cool to see a lot of old friends at Friday night’s BBQ event. Lots of faces I had not seen in a long time.

Mitch Lively is home! Susanville’s globe-trotting professional pitcher is home from the Mexican League for winter with the family after his 16th season as a pro ball player. Town is always a better place in Mitch’s off season!

And last, but not least, Tom and Melissa have a new Goldendoodle named Malibu.

And now you are completely caught up… have an awesome day! See you next Friday!

Lots of local superheroes, sometimes whole families of superheroes, showed up to take part in the run.

The colorful 5K is not only fun, but it supports a great cause. CASA’s mission is to provide specially selected and trained community volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children in Lassen County’s juvenile dependency system.

The group works as a non-profit program under the umbrella agency of Lassen Family Services, in collaboration with key agencies, legal counsel and community resources to ensure that each child’s best interests are protected.

Want to find out more about the nice folks over at CASA? Click here and head on over to their website.

We have a a lot more photos over at SusanvilleStuff. Click here to see them all.

Organizers will provide lunches for those who RSVP by Wednesday, September 7th. A limited number of souvenir tee shirts will be available when volunteers check in.

“We appreciate the land trust’s partnership supporting National Public Lands Day,” said Emily Ryan, manager of the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office. “This is a great opportunity spruce up the trail and visitor center and share time with friends and neighbors in the great outdoors.”

Volunteer teams will work on improvements at the Depot, the adjacent Susanville Trailhead and caboose, and at the BLM’s Hobo Camp Day Use Area and trailhead. Tools and gloves will be provided, but volunteers can also bring their own equipment such as rakes, hoes, shovels, and weed and brush trimming tools.

Organized by the National Environmental Education Foundation, National Public Lands Day is the largest single-day volunteer public lands improvement event in the nation. Events involve hundreds of thousands of volunteers nationwide who help clean up and restore public lands and recreation sites.

An early view of Fruit Growers Supply Company’s Susanville mill

Work Started On Big Plant

September 2, 1919

The Fruit Growers’ Supply Company has commenced work upon the four buildings which it plans to erect this fall as the first unit of its proposed big plant here. The buildings are a large warehouse, two dormitories and a dining hall. Due to the lack of accommodations in Susanville it is necessary to make preparations for housing before much in the way of work can be done.

The dining hall will be equipped with the most modern conveniences and will have a capacity of serving 225 men at one time.

The company has also completed the grade for the spur track which is to enter the yards and has let a contract for a logging pond. The yards plan has been completed, it making reservations for a clubhouse, recreation park and other accommodation for the employees.

Among the early buildings will be a large structure to be used for office and administration purposes.