Members of the Susanville Indian Rancheria’s Tribal Business Council break ground on the new facility

Photofeature: Lassen Indian Health Center Groundbreaking Ceremony

A SusanvilleStuff Photofeature

by Jeremy Couso

The Susanville Indian Rancheria and the Lassen Indian Health Center held a groundbreaking ceremony October 19th, setting into motion the construction of a massive, state-of-the-art medical center on Spring Ridge drive.

The 6,000 square foot health facility, which will take around four years to complete, will serve the needs of both tribal members and the community at a cost of about thirty million dollars.

The event began with a short introduction, a processional featuring S.I.R. veterans, princesses and tribal leaders, and a welcome song by Harvey Merino and Gavin Endman.

Gordon Crutcher gave the invocation, singing several songs for the appreciative gathering.

LIHC CEO/COO Lona Ibanitoru talked of the history of the effort to locate a quality medical facility here, which has taken SIR nearly forty years.

She talked about the amazing array of new services that would open up for the local community who now have to drive great distances for state-of-the-art care in certain areas like dialysis and physical therapy.

Ibanitoru was joined on stage by dignitaries including representatives from Brian and Megan Dahle’s office, Doug LaMalfa’s office, California Indian Health Services, the Intertribal Council of California and Lassen County Supervisor Gary Bridges.

With ceremonial shovels in hand, the members of the Tribal Business Council made it official, breaking ground and launching a project which will be beneficial to this community for generations to come.

Currently the Indian Health Center provides comprehensive medical services and dental treatment with family-centered care available to all the members of our community including infants, children, teens, adults and elders.

Tutoring is Monday through Wednesday. sign up with Kelli in the front office.

There will be a Pine Nut Bracelet Making Class to celebrate Native American Heritage Month hosted by the Susanville Indian Rancheria Teen Center. The class will be on November 16th and 17th during advocacy.

It will take both days. All materials will be provided There will be signups in the library. See Fawn for more details.

You can purchase tickets at Margie’s Book Nook or the Lassen County Chamber of Commerce. Tickets are $20 and will be limited so it’s best to get them early, especially for the Saturday evening performance.

This year’s performance will feature local dancers Joelle Giddings and Hannah Martin as Clara.

Hundreds of local residents travel to Reno each December to see The Reno Dance Company perform this spectacular ballet at the Nugget, so it is pretty neat that we can see it right here at the Veterans Memorial Hall.

Travel could be very difficult to impossible from Sunday night until late Tuesday night.

The hazardous conditions could impact commute times over mountain passes. Strong winds may damage trees and power lines.

Be prepared for whiteout conditions and subzero wind chills along the foothills and ridgelines of the Sierra.

Now is the time to prepare an emergency kit for your home and car. If traveling consider alternate plans, remember to carry tire chains, extra food, water and clothing. Once the storm arrives, travel may be difficult or impossible for an extended period of time.

The JC Penney store around 1940.

~Eastman Studio Collection at UC Davis~

Two Merchants Hold Youth as Suspect

November 4, 1950

Two Susanville merchants captured an alleged bad check artist and brought him into the city police station Wednesday.

He is Thomas Linn West, 22, of Oroville, who said he had been working in the lumber industry around Canby.

Manager Floyd Talbot of the local J. C. Penny store, and his assistant manager, George Winchester, Jr., were on their way to notify authorities that West had just cashed a bad check when they spotted him in the street. They went up to him, and he went with them to the city hall without any opposition.

Chief of Police Floyd Smith, while admiring Talbot and Winchester’s courage, advised against trying to capture anyone accused of a felony unless with an officer.

“Such people know that they will probably go to prison if brought in, and are often dangerous,” he commented. “He might have shot Talbot and Winchester if he had been armed.”

West had given them a check for $20 and received back change for about $13 worth merchandise he had purchased with the rubber check.

He had stayed several nights at a local hotel and tried to pay with a $20 check, which was declined.

West also tried passing checks at M&M hardware and Deal and Davie service, where he was also turned down.

He is in county jail pending preliminary hearing.