I thought our winning streak might be over. Every time I said “Let’s go” to start a run through, they did not in fact “go”. I left them and made sure ASB VP Conner Finks knew what do as more groups and vehicles entered the track.

The Drill Team arrived and started stretching so I decided it was time I make my way on to Main St. My co-teacher Becky Reger had supervised chair set up, there were tables for the judges, DJ Mikey was ready, and everything was looking good.

The bell rang and hundreds of students started filtering in and finding places to sit. Our ASB students did a great job of directing the grade levels to their assigned areas.

And then it was time! I texted Conner, “Go”. He called me, “The alumni’s car won’t start.” My mind raced…what were our options? Conner interrupted, “no wait, we’re good” followed by cheers of the students who helped push the car.

The parade began with Jon Westfall driving his classic Jeep Wagoneer with our two directors of assemblies: Danny Davidson and Kalina Baesman. They welcomed the crowd and introduced the Lassen High School drumline, who marched past playing with gusto.

The next entry was our two alumni of the year: Gino Surian and David French. The two were driven in Gino’s car by David’s son Darren.

Both Gino and David are members of the class of 1966. They were great athletes, married their high school sweethearts (Patti and Deanna, respectively), and became valuable members of our community. It was an honor to hear their stories and was a good reminder of what Homecoming should be about.

Next, several student groups performed. The Grizzliettes did a sideline dance to “Treasure” by Bruno Mars, the Varsity Football Team went through their Pride Drill, and the Cheerleaders led the crowd in their popular “call and response” cheer “Do It.”

It was time to introduce the Homecoming Royalty. Freshmen Princess Aaliyah Cantos was escorted by Prince Nicholas Gomez and Sophomore Princess Gabby Perez was attended by Jace Shafe. They were driven in Tony Shaw’s parade-famous convertible. Teacher and class advisor Rachel Vincent accompanied Junior Prince and Princess Russell David and Misty Xiong in her emerald green Volkswagon.

The senior court arrived together in Reesa Rice’s spectacular white Cadillac.

ASB President Renee Delgado and Danny Davidson, Abby Lynn and Keegan Lewis, Natalia Hernandez and Isaiah Williams, and Emily Clements and Jacob Singh were given small treasure chests filled with candy. When opened, it was discovered that Clements and Singh were our 2023 Homecoming Queen and King.

ASB Secretary Aubrey Yerington awarded the royalty with crowns, flowers, sashes, and scepters with help from Julienne Bennett and Paislee Satica.

The class floats were next and the Freshmen had a great first outing with their version of Indiana Jones. Their float was adorned with ancient ruins, vines and greenery, inflatable snakes, and even a giant, rolling boulder.

They related the story of a tribe who worshipped the Thunderbird being overtaken by Indiana, representing the Grizzlies. There was also lots of fighting. No, not real fighting, fake fighting! It’s a common theme here. Later, it was announced that the Freshmen gathered the most spirit points during the week.

Sophomores were up with their interpretation of The Goonies. Their float looked like a ship and had several special effects. Again, there was lots of fighting as the group of misfits set out to find the win on behalf of the Grizzlies.

The Cave of Wonders was portrayed in the Junior Class’ Aladdin. Everywhere you looked there was gold! Aladdin and Abu successfully obtained the “W” from the cave with Aladdin wishing for freedom for Genie as well as being “better at football.”

Finally, the Seniors arrived with their adaptation of Pirates of the Caribbean. I should have never doubted them. They had indeed “got it together.” The skit started with three pirates (played hysterically by Danny Davidson, Jack Heimbigner, and Nash Osborn) discussing the captain.

There was a lot of fighting again, this time with swords, as Captain Jack was captured by the Thunderbird. A deal was made, and everything turned out in the end: the game was won, Captain Jack was free, and the pirates gleefully danced to “A Pirate’s Life for Me.”

I laughed and cheered along with the rest of the crowd but a part of me lost it inside. Here were the same kids who four years ago put together a Ghostbusters float on a tiny trailer in the middle of a Covid outbreak. I saw them as they are now, but also as they were as freshmen. They are my daughter and her friends and classmates and while I am so proud to see them grow up, I love the fact that they haven’t lost their goofiness and willingness to have fun.

This month brings college applications, deadlines, and decisions but for a few moments last Friday, they were just kids.

By the way, the Class of 2024 won the float and skit competition. That’s four times for those of you counting.

We have more than 120 photos from Friday’s Homecoming festivities in our gallery over at SusanvilleSnapshots.com. Click here to see them all!

Homecoming royalty at Friday’s parade on Main Street.

SusanvilleSnapshots Gallery: 2023 Lassen High Homecoming Parade

A SusanvilleSnapshots.com Gallery

by Marshel and Jeremy Couso

It was pure, ‘purple and gold’ excitement at Lassen High School as students celebrated school spirit with their week-long, Gold Rush themed homecoming activities, culminating in Friday’s big parade on Main Street, the crowning of royalty and a 34-20 Grizzly varsity win against the Las Plumas Thunderbirds at Arnold Field.

The parade featured the LHS Drumline, cheerleaders, the drill team, a tribute to Alumni of the year and, of course, the 2023 Grizzly football teams.

Each of LHS’s classes decorated floats based on movies – the Freshmen recreated Indiana Jones, the Sophomores took on the Goonies, the Junior class decorated with an Aladdin theme and the Seniors became the Seniors of the Caribbean, with Captain Jack Sparrow.

We have more than 120 photos from Friday’s parade in our SusanvilleSnapshots.com gallery. Click here to see them all.

We have more than 100 photos from Friday’s parade in

our SusanvilleSnapshots.com gallery. Click here to see them all.

Proposals selected for award include research projects focused on post-fire restoration, forest resilience to pests, new decision support tools for communities and homeowners, and the use of national Forest Inventory and Analysis data to inform biomass estimates in forests and shrublands.

Grantees include the University of California, Northern Arizona University, University of Wyoming, and the USDA Forest Service, among others.

“The Forest Health Research Grant Program continues to attract high quality research projects focused on a range of wildfire and forest health issues,” says Chris Keithley, Assistant Deputy Director of Fire and Resource Assessment at Cal-FIRE.

“Collectively, the results help inform CAL FIRE and the Wildfire and Forest

Resilience Task Force on the changes in environmental conditions, climate related impacts to forests and wildfire behavior, and the effectiveness of forest management.”

The Forest Health Research Program was established as part of California Climate Investments to answer important questions that further our knowledge in forest health and resilience, impacts of wildfire on communities and the environment, science-based tools that aid in land management planning and best practices, effectiveness of fuel treatments, carbon storage and uptake, and many other topics.

Funding for these grants comes from Greenhouse Gas Reduction Funds through the California Climate Investments program and the Wildfire and Forest Resilience budget package. Managed as part of Cal-FIRE’s Fire and Resource Assessment Program, the Forest Health Research Program allocates funds to five different project types: projects on Cal-FIRE Demonstration State Forests, projects on other forestland in California, graduate student research, scientific synthesis and tool development, and special topics of interest.

This year the special topics projects focused on leveraging national Forest Inventory and

Analysis data.

Uptown Susanville in the early 1950’s -Eastman Studios postcard

Halloween Party Set for Children

October 3, 1950

Plans are complete for the big annual Halloween parties for Susanville youngsters, according to Al Bentley of the Rotary committee, coordinating the project.

About 220 fifth and sixth graders will enjoy a wiener roast in the evening; the Lions Club will be in charge of transportation and supervision and the 20-30 Club will be responsible for food.

Children in kindergarten, first, second, third and fourth grades will be entertained at the schools with parties staged by the Susanville Elementary P-TA.

High school and junior college students will have a dance with entertainment and games at the school in the evening. Food will be provided by the high school P-TA, and entertainment by the B.P.O Elks Lodge.

A Halloween parade, with all young hobgoblins and other ghostly characters invited to participate, will move from the Elks’ club at the head of Main St. down Main to Weatherlow St. in the early evening.

This event will be in charge of the Monticola Club, BPWC, and Soroptimist clubs.