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Volume XV Issue 103 | Wednesday, December 21st, 2022

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Why We Love This Place Wednesday: Christmas Time in Lassen County


By Terra Avilla


Oh, this community of ours. This wonderful, beautiful community. There is nothing like Christmas time in Lassen County. Starting with the Christmas tree lighting and parade (which by the way, did it not feel like we were in a Hallmark Movie?) through all of the community events, leading to Christmas Day. It is just the best of the best.


There are so many reasons that cumulate into why our community is like no other during the holiday season.

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Obviously, I just finished with our annual Holiday with a Hero event, and like every other year, the event humbles me, and makes me fall deeper in love with the people that live here.


Story after story of our community doing small things for others. Like the staff at the college who came in on their day off to volunteer. And by volunteer, I mean making food for the masses.


Or the Hero that delivered a cord of wood to his kiddos house yesterday because during the bus ride to Walmart the child apparently made a comment about not having a lot of heat in their home. (Insert tears of joy).


And don’t get me started on those silly wonderful bus drivers, who also donated all their time to our event, and that is just a small glimpse into the three hours of one day.


Let’s talk about Carla over at Salvation Army who is full steam ahead for the Salvation Army tree staying late at night to help tag and bag gifts, or Terrie Ginder from Toys for Tots, who despite her own family things to deal with, flew back across the country to run her program this year for the kiddos of Lassen County.


Nowhere else would people be this dedicated.


Then we have the wonderful hearts at the Fairgrounds making sure that the annual tradition families have of looking at Christmas lights continues, or the wonderful live nativity my family and I were able to see this weekend. Just breathtaking.


It’s the teachers who, despite not getting paid nearly enough, sent their students home with gifts and goodies that they spent their own money on. It’s the Christmas themed songs during worship in church, it’s Chris Cobian, who I caught shoveling the driveways of an elderly man, because he knew the man lived alone. It’s our community taking care of each other.


It’s all the small things that when we add them up, we realize are truly the very big things.


The Christmas recitals for your kid’s schools, sitting with your friends as you watch your kiddo sing their rendition of jingle bells for the tenth time this month. The tin cans of goodies you get from neighbors, and our very best Postal Carriers and FedEx drivers etc., who are working overtime to carefully deliver our packages.


I lived in Reno the majority of my life, and while I enjoyed being there, I can attest there is no place to spend the holidays like our little community, which is of course one of the reasons I love where we live!


I am wishing you all the very Merriest Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Lassen County royalty with the staff from the Finance Department and their award-winning door!


And the Winner is… City Hall Staff Holds a Holiday Door Decorating Contest


The folks at City Hall had a little Christmas fun this week, with a door decorating contest for each department judged by Lassen County royalty.


Miss Lassen County Olivia Ormachea and Princess Rebecca Kirklin had a tough time picking a winner from the nine decorated door entries, but finally gave the top prize to the Finance Department for their ‘Lil Elves.


Pool Director Reesa Rice’s Leg Lamp door decoration took second place and City Administrator Dan Newton, and assistant Jolene Arredondo took third.

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Have Your Voice Heard! Student

Poetry Competition Looking for Poets


It’s time to have your voice heard! Lassen County Schools and the Lassen County Arts Council are offering the opportunity for Poetry Recitation at the school, county, and state level, through a program by the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation.


Poetry Out Loud builds self-confidence and public speaking skills, the thrill of competition encourages students to do their best, and the competition creates lifelong lovers of poetry and creative writing.

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The competition offers an opportunity for all types of students to succeed with a prize for the county winner and two for runners-up.


“I was surprised to discover the power of voice that poetry gives. Every participant has a different voice, and it is a true gift and privilege to share and partake in such a diverse display of humanity,” explains Emma Robison, the 2021 Kentucky State Champion.


Contact Language Arts or English teachers at your school for more information, or call June Sanders at 1.530.260.0707, or Dianna Henning at 1.530.253.3303.


The county finals will be held in January.


A total of $50,000 in awards or organizational stipends will be given at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals, including a $20,000 award for the National Champion.


The contest is open to all students in Lassen County 9th through 12th grades or 8th graders taking 9th grade classes.

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Members of the Fort Bidwell Volunteer Fire Department and BLM fire program staff

members look on as Fort Bidwell Fire Chief Mark Royer backs the former BLM

fire engine into the engine bay at the community fire station. – BLM Photo


BLM Donates Fire Engine to Fort Bidwell Volunteer Fire Department


The Bureau of Land Management has transferred ownership of a wildland fire engine to the Fort Bidwell Volunteer Fire Department, a small Modoc County department that stands ready to assist the BLM and other agencies with wildfire response in remote northeast California, just south of the Oregon border.


“We really appreciate this fire engine,” said Fort Bidwell Fire Chief Mark Royer. “This donation will greatly improve our service to the community since it will be Fort Bidwell’s primary initial attack fire engine.”


The fire engine is a four-wheel drive pumper capable of handling the rugged terrain of the northeast California high desert and has room for a five-person crew. It has a 500-gallon water tank and the ability to spray water or firefighting foam while moving, an important feature when fighting fast-moving rangeland fires.


“We are happy to donate this engine to the Fort Bidwell volunteers,” said Dereck Wilson, manager of the BLM Northern California District. “It has served the public well and still has plenty of service life.”


The fire engine was provided to the volunteer department under the BLM’s Rural Fire Readiness Program, which provides equipment to qualifying fire departments that collaborate with the BLM and assist with fire response on public lands. Under the program, local departments apply to receive BLM fire engines and other equipment declared surplus when the agency purchases new equipment.


Earlier this year, the BLM donated surplus fire engines to the Milford and Standish-Litchfield volunteer fire departments in Lassen County under the Rural Fire Readiness Program.


The engine went into service in 2001 with the BLM Applegate Field Office and was based at the West Valley Fire Station in southern Modoc County. It was deployed to numerous local and regional incidents including the Biscuit Fire that burned nearly 500,000 acres in northern California and southern Oregon in 2002.

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Forester’s cabin on the campus of Lassen High in 1941

Forestry Class to Aid Stores

December 21st, 1950


Seventeen members of the Lassen Junior College vocational forestry class and their instructor Ralph Throop will play Santa Claus to Susanville to the extent of more than 100 Christmas trees.


The trees will be distributed to Main St merchants who will insert them in the flag pole holes at the curbing in front of their stores. If possible the trees will be lighted.


The Christmas Tree project is part of the Susanville coordinating council’s plan for a town Christmas festival. Other plans outlined by the council to be carried out by the various participating organizations include a large creche to erected at the head of Main St between the big fire trees which will be decorated with lights by the Legion Auxiliary.


December 17 at 5 pm is the time to set for a short outdoor program with Mayor Frank T Burnett lighting the trees and creche a local clergyman reading the Christmas story, various choirs giving a short program of Christmas carols with audience participating.


Arrangements for the program are being made by the Soroptimist Club, with Mrs. A G Breitweisrer acting as chairman.

If you are a fan of our daily history stories you should join the Lassen Historical Society! It's a fun way to be a part of our county's rich history. When you sign up you'll receive regular Historical Society newsletters with interesting stories and information. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in area history.

Through your membership you help preserve local history. You can download a membership application by clicking here.

The SusanvilleStuff Team


Jeremy Couso

Owner, Publisher and Editor

Marshel Couso

Owner and General Manager

Ray Couso

Sales and Retention Consultant

Susan Couso

Feature Writer

Terra Avilla

Feature Writer

Shelley Bennett

Feature Writer

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Congratulations to Henry Hart, the winner

of this week's Pizza Factory giveaway!


You too could win a large one-topping pizza from the Susanville or Janesville Pizza Factory locations just by entering our weekly giveaway!


Just click here and follow the link to our handy entry form. You can enter once per day from each email address. We'll announce our weekly winner right here next Monday morning.


The prize is good for take-out or dine-in orders only, sorry no delivery.


Good luck and enjoy that yummy Pizza Factory Pizza!

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