Trust me, as someone who also has planned community events, it’s harder than it looks, but Wade has the perfect ability to bring together all the necessary individuals to make the event a success. And boy was it.

The river was stocked with hundreds of fish, ensuring that the little anglers had plenty of opportunities to catch their prize. The adorable green fishing derby hats worn by the children added a touch of charm to the event.

Despite the fact that my daughter won a toy in the raffle at the end of the derby, her hat is her most prized catch of the day. (And boy does she look so cute in it!)

I also want to say – way to go Walmart! Y’all played a significant role in the event. My favorite thing about the event. They donated and served us all the FOOD!

Their employees volunteered to wake up at 5:00a.m., to prepare breakfast burritos for all the participants, and they were delicious. Walmart’s involvement in the fishing derby is part of their long-term commitment to our community and I thank them all for that!

The event was not only about fishing, but also about bringing the community together.

Families enjoyed quality time outdoors, bonding over a shared love for fishing and the excitement of the competition.

On the river, I looked over and I saw Jared Berotti (a former baseball player) on the bank fishing with his son. It made my heart so incredibly full. I looked around and saw countless parents showing their kiddos how to bait a hook, hold a fish and reel in a rod.

If you were by me near the derby, you would have witnessed me freaking out over bear poop, losing a phone, and then Pearl fell into the river. (Huge thank you to Armando Medina who helped us trek our way out of the embankment!)

Even with that little adventure, (after all, are you really fishing with children if the event doesn’t end with soggy shoes?) it was one of the best times I’ve had with my kiddos in a long time. And I owe a huge thank you to the fishing derby for that.

The weather may have been rainy, but it couldn’t dampen the spirit of the event, which was a shining example of how great this event is for the community and why it is one of the reasons I love where we live.

Lassen County Sheriff Dean Growdon, Susanville Police Chief Ryan Cochran

and Modoc County Sheriff William Dowdy placing wreaths at last year’s ceremony.

Annual Lassen Family Services Wreath Laying Ceremony This Friday Morning

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and Lassen Family Services, the sole provider of abuse focused prevention, intervention treatment and victim support services in Lassen County, will hold a special wreath laying ceremony on the morning of October 6th to honor the memory of Deputy Larry Griffith, Officer Robert McElrath, Deputy Jack Hopkins and all law enforcement personnel who put their lives on the line to protect victims of crime and their commitment to ending domestic violence in our community.

Again this year the annual ceremony will be held at the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office on Sheriff Cady Lane beginning at 10:00a.m., and the public is welcome to attend.

The Honor Guard will present the colors and refreshments will be served following the ceremony.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

According to Lassen Family Services 40% of California women will experience physical intimate partner violence in their lifetime. In 2012 LFS provided services to 1 out of 48 residents in Lassen County, over 208 of those helped were victims of domestic violence.

Several events are held by the organization during the month of October including the annual Dancing for a Brand New Me fundraiser. Purple ribbons were displayed at local businesses and community agencies to commemorate, acknowledge and bring awareness to the problem of domestic violence.

Lassen Family Services is a private, non-profit organization founded in 1979 and relying completely on federal, state, and foundation grants and public donations to provide a lengthy list of free services to the community; domestic violence and sexual assault rape crisis counseling/intervention, emergency shelter and transitional housing, 24-Hour Crisis Line, sexual assault response team, Court Appointed Special Advocates program, Child Abuse Treatment program, legal assistance/court advocacy, parent education, prevention education, law enforcement and hospital accompaniment, emergency food and clothing, emergency and non-emergency transportation and community referrals.

Photofeature: Susanville Symphony’s Concert on the Green

A SusanvilleStuff Photofeature

by Marshel and Jeremy Couso

The Susanville Symphony Society kicked off its 2023-2024 season Sunday with a special outdoor performance on the lawn of the historic courthouse featuring everything from pop music to well-known classical selections while concert goers brought tables and chairs, picnic blankets and baskets, food and wine.

We have more pictures in our SusanvilleStuff photofeature. Click here to see them all!

These new requirements are expected to improve the ability of Californians to manage future droughts and help prevent catastrophic impacts on drinking water for communities vulnerable to impacts of climate change.

The bill outlines the new requirements for small water suppliers, county governments, DWR, and the State Water Board to implement more proactive drought planning and be better prepared for future water shortage events or dry years.

Water Code Section 10642 states that prior to adopting either, the water shortage contingency plan, the urban water supplier shall make both the plan and the water shortage contingency plan available for public inspection and shall hold a public hearing or hearings thereon.

Water Code Section 10608.26(a) In complying with this part, an urban retail water supplier shall conduct at least one public hearing to accomplish all the following:

Plan Adoption, Submittal, and Implementation UWMP Guidebook 2020 10-9

(1) Allow community input regarding the urban retail water supplier’s implementation plan for complying with this part.

(2) Consider the economic impacts of the urban retail water supplier’s implementation plan for complying with this part.

(3) Adopt a method, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 10608.20 for determining its urban water use target.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend the Public Hearing and provide input.

Written comments may also be submitted to the city of Susanville by emailing Marci Rojas at mrojas@cityofsusanville.org.

Public comments will be accepted through noon of October 18th, 2023. The Urban Water Management Plan 2020 Update is available on the city’s website.

The Public Hearing is scheduled for October 18th, 2023, at approximately 5:15p.m. during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting held at City Hall, 66 N. Lassen Street, Susanville, CA 96130.

Advocate publisher Ted Friend delivers papers to an uptown business in a 1944 photo from Getty Images

Columnist Finds Editing Weekly is no Vacation

October 4, 1943

Ted Friend, the New York Mirror’s Broadway columnist who quit the bright lights to relax in a hammock and run the little weekly newspaper here folded his hammock today. He hasn’t had time to put a bulge in it.

Friend gave up his 12-year run of Broadway, a well-known by-line and a bow from all the headwaiters when he bought the Lassen Advocate.

Today, as he spanked to bed his third weekly eight-page issue, he wanted one thing understood: Country editors work harder than city editors.

Harder than City

“I work harder than I ever did in New York,” he said, “I have to be all over the place, dig up all my own news, chop my own wood and split my own infinities.”

Ted said at least he’ll never get overspecialized like most city newspapermen.

“Not only do I do all the writing,” he said, “but I have to chase the ads, drum up circulation and manage the print shop. Its lucky the ink smells better up here in the high timber.”

Reversing the traditional ‘Local Boy Makes Good in Big City’ role, Ted has graduated from writing of celebrities in the stork club to headlining the doings at the church bazaar.

2,100 Circulation

Susanville is nestled in the Mount Lassen country in the heart of the high Sierra Nevada mountains. Lumber and box-making are the principal businesses. The Advocate – circulation 2,100 – is 78 years old. Friend is 45.

His wife, Dorothy, a former New York press agent, probably will pitch in to handle society news later, he said. The people of Susanville seem to like him all right; he has been given the official nod by invitations to the Rotary club and the Methodist men’s club.

“Best climate and the nicest people in the world here.: he said. “But don’t ever let them tell you that a country editor goes fishing three days a week.”

“Give my regards to Broadway. It’s wonderful missing it.”

Lassen Advocate Publisher Ted Friend and Sheriff Olin S. Johnson

in front of the Susanville post office ~ LIFE Magazine, 1944.