Volume XVII Issue 7

Tuesday, August 20th, 2024

Our daughter Sofia is studying nursing at Linfield University

We went through the motions of setting up her dorm room, shopping a little more, adding to her décor, then shopping again. We were all smiling and cheery but there was something insincere about it.

That night we sat down for dinner at an amazing Mediterranean restaurant called Cyprus. As we looked over the menu, a man and his young daughter sat down beside us.

It reminded me of a time when our family was in Disneyland. Sofia was about 4 and the boys were 8 and 6. After our afternoon rest time, Sofia decided she was done with Disneyland. She had waited in line twice to see the princesses and that was about all she cared about.

Her older brothers were not done. They had rides to go on! Snacks to eat! Fireworks to watch! So, after a quick parent conference, Leo decided to take Sof to Downtown Disney and I took the boys to the park.

A few hours later, we met up at Wetzel’s Pretzels where Sofia was soaking up being the center of her dad’s attention. She had this look on her face that I recognized right away: she had successfully wrapped her dad around her little finger.

I saw a similar relationship between the father and daughter sitting next to us. She wanted French fries and lemonade to start, followed by the shrimp dish. And that’s what she got.

We ate our dinner, discussed the day, and planned the next. As we finished up, Leo nodded at the neighboring table and said, ”That reminds me of when Sof and I…” and I finished his sentence with “were at Wetzel’s Pretzels in Downtown Disney?”

As our eyes met, the tears welled up and started to spill over.

They say Time is a thief and I have to agree. It felt like one minute you’re watching your four-year old daughter boss her dad around in Disneyland and the next she’s telling him where to put the refrigerator in her dorm room. What happened to all those moments and memories in between?

As Leo and I sniffed and wiped the tears away, Sofia said, “Now the waitress thinks you just told me you are getting divorced.” She’s always been like that, quick to add a sarcastic comment to lighten a serious situation. We laughed and paid our check.

There were more tears (and laughter) the next morning when we said good-bye and left to go home. In my heart, I know that Sofia will be ok. She’s found her place and now she’ll find her people. The question is, will I be ok?

And yes, I will be too. It will just take some time to get used to a quiet house, having our daily conversations over Snap and not in person, and impatiently waiting for her next visit.

My heart goes out to all the parents out there going through the same thing. The Class of 2024 is spreading their wings and flying all over and we are so fortunate to have a front row seat.

Although they will be attending universities across the country, this group of friends will always support each other

Remember when news was ‘newsy’? When you read about weddings, family events and engagement announcements in the newspaper? If you have something that might be

newsworthy, please submit it to shelleybennett24@gmail.com and I’ll do

my best to include it here in “The Good Stuff.”

Bicyclists on the Bizz Johnson Trail – BLM photo

Enjoy the spectacular scenery as you cruise through pine forests and beautiful mountain meadows. As you ride along the Susan River, you’ll pass through two incredible, historical train tunnels on the Bizz Johnson Trail. The long course will take you near the shores of two serene, high altitude lakes.

Choose Your Own Adventure

This year, the Lassen Gravel Adventure Ride caters to all abilities with a selection of four distinct courses:

Full Squatch (94 miles): You’ll go to Silver Lake and back with stunning views of beautiful forests, meadows and lakes. Click here for the course map.

Half Squatch (63 miles): This 63-mile course leads you out the Bizz Johnson Trail and onto a maze of wonderfully-scenic gravel backroads through mountain meadows and forests. Click here for the course map.

Short Squatch (40 miles): This 40-mile course leads you out the Bizz Johnson Trail and onto incredible gravel backroads in the Lassen Natl. Forest. The loop passes Goumaz CG with a climb before it heads downhill back home. Click here for the course map.

Brand new Mini Squatch (14 miles): An ideal introduction for gravel cycling newbies or families. Enjoy a 14-mile round trip to Devil’s Corral with Brunch on the Bizz at the top.

All courses start and end at the historic Susanville Train Depot, 601 Richmond Road.

The event features multiple well-stocked rest stops throughout each course. All finishers, in all ride categories, will receive a unique finisher medal.

For those who love to compete, the Full Squatch course will include 3 marked Strava segments. For those who wish to compete in the King/Queen of the Squatch competition, you will be asked to upload, display, and submit your times for each segment.

Cumulative times will be compiled and the winner will be awarded a special prize. Segments will not be announced ahead of time but will be clearly marked on the route.

E-bikes, although are approved for all ride distances, are not eligible for the Strava competition.

For more information and to register online follow this link.

This event is made possible with funding from the State of California, administered by the California State Library and the Lassen Modoc Adult Education Consortium.

For more information 1.530.257.7471.

The program was created by Congress to help meet the needs of hungry and homeless people throughout the United States and its territories by allocating federal funds for the provision of food and shelter.

This collaborative effort between the private and public sectors has provided over $6 billion in Federal funds during its 40-year history.

The program is governed by a National Board composed of representatives of the American Red Cross; Catholic Charities, USA; Jewish Federation of North America; The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.; The Salvation Army; and United Way Worldwide. The Board is chaired by a representative of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Eligible Programs

Applicants are able to apply for costs associated with food programs (served meals programs, bagged grocery programs, and/or food voucher programs), shelter, motel voucher programs, and utility/rental assistance programs.

Lassen County Local Board Priorities

The Emergency Food and Shelter National Board mandates that Local Boards must set funding priorities annually prior to the selection of agencies for funding. The Local Board looked at resources available in the community, the emergency food and shelter need of the community, and gaps in services in the community and focus the dollars to address these needs in the areas of emergency food and shelter.

The following populations are priorities for the Lassen Local EFSP Board:

Families

A family is defined as any of the following: minor parents with children: one or more adults with legal custody of the minor children; a couple in which one person is pregnant; grandparents or others who are legal guardians with children present; multi-generational families with grandparents, parents, adult child and minor children.

Programs proposing to serve families must have provisions for accommodating the children regardless of age or gender. Programs that serve women and/or women with children but will not serve two-parent families in virtue of one of the members being male, are excluded from this definition and should identify “Other Populations” as the primary target population served.

Elderly

The elderly are defined by the Older Americans Act to be persons at least 60 years of age, in the greatest social and economic need, with special emphasis placed on low-income minority elderly

Veterans

Transitional Age Youth

Transitional Age Youth is defined as unaccompanied persons, ages 14 to 24.

Chronically Homeless

Chronically homeless is defined as an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more or has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.

Grant funds can be used for a variety of purposes, including:

Emergency shelter services

Rental assistance programs

Food distribution and nutrition education initiatives

The application process is currently open and closes on Wednesday, August 28th, 2024. Interested organizations can access the application online at bit.ly/LassenEFSP24.

For any questions, please contact James at lassenefspboard@gmail.com.

Buck Jones on “Silver” in a 1926 publicity still

Hollywood Horse in Lassen Show

August 20, 1943

“Silver” the horse with an outstanding movie career and pride of the late Buck Jones will be in the horse show Sunday afternoon at the rodeo-racing horse show to be sponsored by the Lassen County Sheriff’s Posse and held at the local fair grounds.

“Silver” who is thirty-five years old, will be in charge of Harold Bradford though consent of Mrs. Buck Jones.

“Funny Duster”, who is twenty-eight years of age, will be in the parade, ridden by his owner Mrs. Velma Smith, who is the same age. “Funny Duster” has been half mile champion for many years on the Susanville track.

Kenneth L. Wheeler – July 31, 2024

David Angus Law – July 26, 2024

Marie Estell Rodarte – October 6, 2023

Lola (Ochotorena) Mendiolea – May 30, 2024

Vivian M. Love – July 3, 2024