Volume XVI Issue 210

Friday, May 24th, 2024

CHP’s Every 15 Minutes Program Comes to Lassen High School

A SusanvilleStuff Photofeature

by Jeremy Couso

The “Every 15 Minutes” program came to Lassen High School last week; a CHP sponsored enactment of a drunken driving accident on Arnold Field complete with host of personnel and equipment from local agencies that helped to give the grim scene a sense of reality.

Every 15 Minutes is a two-day program focusing on high school juniors and seniors, challenging them to think about drinking, driving, personal safety, the responsibility of making mature decisions and the impact their decisions have on family, friends, their community, and others.

The program is very dramatic and emotional – and purposely so. Teenagers are constantly reminded about the choices they have to make involving alcohol and how many others are affected by their decisions. They know the intellectual statistics. However, many teens share the belief it will never happen to them.

This powerful program is designed to create an awareness among students that they are not invincible. This program helps open emotional doors, and they experience firsthand how their actions affect the lives of so many other people.

The aftermath of tragic collision played out before the students on the field and involved first-responders like the City Fire Department, the CHP and SEMSA Medical, Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, the Susanville City Police, volunteer firefighters, Cal-FIRE and a lot of others.

Students portrayed victims of the crash as the Grim Reaper walked among the smoky wrecks with emergency personnel separating the injured from the dead.

The Susanville Elks Lodge at the top of Main Street, 1955. An Eastman’s Studio photograph

Leonard was a traveling dentist, whose practice took him over most of northeastern California. But he decided to designate Susanville as his home town, and had an office on the corner of Gay and Cottage Streets.

The dentist was, supposedly, trained as an architect, and his dream of this uniquely-shaped building caused many difficulties for the builder.

Charles Odette was a lumberman and sawmill owner, and Leonard contracted with him to build the house. Work began in 1883. Near the end of 1884, the Leonard family moved into the unfinished structure.

Life was not easy for the rural dentist. Many patients wanted to pay in produce or livestock, and Dr. Leonard had a difficult time ‘making ends meet’. In 1890, he owed money to several creditors. He sold his property to William Greehn, local merchant, for $2,800, and moved to Reno.

The newly finished Leonard residence and its view down Main Street in 1885.

Greehn never lived in the home, but rented it to attorney William N. Goodwin and family. By 1902, William O. Pierce, a musician, was renting the house for $12 per month.

In 1908, Greehn finally sold the property to Joel Henry Swain, a local saloon owner. The Swain family lived in the home for a number of years, doing a lot of much-needed work to the house and grounds. Joel Henry Swain had the rock retaining wall built along the front of the property before his death in 1918.

After Swain’s death, his widow, Anne, had a smaller home built on the southern portion of the lot and moved there. She rented the upper floors of the former Leonard house to workers who came to the area to build the Lassen Lumber & Box mill.

A little before 1920, a group of 81 men decided to try to form an Elk’s Club for the area. In 1923, they formed the Antler’s Investment Company and purchased the property from Anne Swain in 1922 to be used as a meeting place. Swain continued possession of her smaller home.

In May of 1924, the B.P.O.E #1487, Elks, was formed, and in 1931, the property was deeded to them. The Elks did extensive remodeling to the building to make it into a meeting hall.

Thus began a long tradition in Susanville. The Elk’s Hall, has been a meeting place for club activities, as well as the site for numerous weddings, proms, dances and hundreds other events. The stately building has become a symbol for our community.

“Loss of life on our roads is preventable when drivers make safe and responsible choices behind the wheel,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “Always remember to drive sober, avoid distraction, adhere to the speed limit, and ensure adults are buckled up and children are properly secured in an appropriate car seat.”

Throughout the holiday weekend, expect a heightened presence of CHP officers on patrol to enhance public safety by deterring reckless driving behaviors and taking necessary enforcement action when needed.

Last year, CHP recorded more than 1,100 arrests for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the 78-hour Memorial Day MEP, which is an average of an arrest every four minutes. The CHP urges all drivers to make the right choices and avoid impaired driving. Arrange for a sober driver, use ride-sharing services, taxis, or public transportation if you have been drinking.

If you see or suspect an impaired driver, safely pull over and call 9-1-1 immediately. Be prepared to provide the dispatcher a description of the vehicle, the license plate number, location, and direction of travel. Your phone call may save someone’s life.

Breakfast will be served from 7:00 until 11:00a.m., both days.

Camp Ronald McDonald at Eagle Lake provides residential summer camping experiences for both children and adults with disabilities and/or disadvantages. The camp programs are adapted to meet the individual needs of each participant.

Camp staff are experienced and well-trained specialists in the fields of drama, arts and crafts, outdoor education, nutrition education, sports, and waterfront activities.

Tryouts will be held from 6:00 to 8:00p.m., and you must RSVP to reserve your spot at tryouts.

To RSVP, or if you need more information, call Danny Matchniff at 1.530.310.1923 or email matchstickman@me.com.

Susanville Antler’s Club in the spring of 1920

Susanville Elks Install New Lodge

Newest Organization in West Starts Off With 200 Charter Members

May 24, 1924

Susanville is a mass of color and a holiday spirit prevails as 500 of the antlered herd, B. P. O. E. gathered tonight from all of Northern California and Nevada to celebrate the installation of a new Elks Lodge, Susanville lodge B. P. O. E., 1487. The baby lodge starts with 200 charter members, of which 141 were new candidates for initiation. Sixty demits from other lodges joined as charter members and 100 more demits have not yet arrived from home lodges.

Judge E. E. Gaddis of Woodland, district deputy for the northern district is in charge of the ceremonies and the Oroville team conducted the initiation and put on the work. This honor was delegated to the Oroville lodge by District Deputy Gaddis because Oroville, until today, was the baby lodge of California. Exalted Ruler Baldwin of Oroville will preside, accompanied by 50 Elks from Oroville.

The exalted ruler of every lodge in Northern California is present, accompanied by a large delegation. Large delegations have come from Reno, Redding, Red Bluff, Lakeview, Chico, Sacramento, San Francisco, Dunsmuir and bay cities and Susanville is taxed to capacity to care for the crowd.

The festivities began at 12:30 on the arrival of the train from outside points which was crowded with Elks. The Elks band met the train and led a parade up Main street to the Elks’ Home at the head of Main street. This band then met a delegation of almost 100 Elks from Westwood who came in automobiles and another parade ensued. Westwood is affiliating with the Susanville lodge and has 32 candidates to be initiated into the new lodge.

The streets of Susanville are covered with streamers and flags and every electrolier is hidden with the purple and white and a huge sign of welcome. Every business house is decorated and every automobile bears an Elks pennant. Susanville has turned out in a body to welcome the visitors and every home is thrown open.

At 6:30 p.m. a huge parade formed at the head of Main street and marched through the business section. In the parade were the 141 candidates dressed in all manner of costume from bathing suits to full dress. Each one had a stunt to perform and bore his misfortunes in true Elk fashion. Also every Elk was in the parade which stretched out for six blocks. At the close of the parade all gathered at the lodge hall for the installation and initiation which lasted until almost midnight, Supper was served at midnight.

Susanville obtained its charter by special dispensation of the grand exalted ruler two months ago after the local Elks who had been banded together in an Antlers club for the past two years demonstrated the need for a lodge and showed a population of 3467 for Susanville. Every assistance was given the petition by the other lodges of California and the Reno lodge to which most of the Susanville Elks belonged.

The Susanville lodge 1487, has made remarkable progress as a lodge and starts with a beautiful $15,000 home which is now fully paid for. This home stands at the head of Main street on an eminence overlooking the town and is one of the show places of Susanville.