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Volume XVIII Issue 13
Wednesday, August 20th, 2025
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Why We Love This Place Wednesday:
Why the Walk Still Matters
By Terra Avilla
This week, I want to talk about something that’s has meant a lot to me over the years and always will, the annual Out of Darkness suicide prevention walk here in Lassen County.
I was there when it all started, thinking back to those first meetings with Niki Jarrel and Jim Dandois. None of us really knew what to expect, but we all understood what was at stake and I think that’s why we agreed to help start it.
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We know… so many in our county struggle with mental health issues, and honestly, the statistics here are hard to look at sometimes. We are a county that struggles with Suicide.
What’s really stuck with me is how much the event grew. For a few years after that first one, I stayed involved, helping to organize and absolutely loved seeing how many more agencies and organizations came to the table, watching the new local leadership get involved… and it was a thriving community event.
But that’s also because it hit home that just about everyone in Lassen County has been touched by this issue in some way. No one is immune. Not families, not teachers, not first responders and unfortunately not our children. It really became something bigger than any one group.
Even when I stepped away from the planning committee, Frankie and I always made a point to show up. The walk became a regular date on our family calendar, for us, our girls, and last year, we brought the baseball team. At the event, we saw NUMEROUS other college athletic teams well represented.
The turnout, the people, the stories – every year, it just proved again how important this is to all of us.
I’m sure you’ve seen the recent decision by the Lassen County Office of Education to step back from the national American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. It’s important to say that the Lassen County Office of Education IS NOT to blame.
You see the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention which helps orchestrate the event (from out of the area) increased their major sponsor contribution request to $7,500.
For a rural community like ours, that’s a heavy lift, especially when we need to be certain that the money raised makes its way back to help local families. Why the AFSP decided to do this might be unclear to me, but what IS clear, is that their decision is going to have a ripple effect on the other groups like LCOE.
$7,500 is a large amount to require for a sponsorship. It’s going to impact a lot of the partners and organizations who’ve relied on this event to raise awareness, build community, and support mental health resources locally.
However. I don’t see this as the end, not at all. If anything, it’s just a turning point.
We have the people, the passion, and the need to bring this walk back in a way that truly benefits Lassen County. What that looks like, I don’t quite know. But what I do know is with local people like Megan Gray at the helm, we will figure it out, because this cause isn’t going away, and neither is it the heart of this community.
If you or anyone you know is struggling, please remember you’re not alone. The Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988 is there.
It might not be this year, but we’ll walk together again, because this matters. It always will.
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Firefighters Quickly Control Fire Next to Downtown Susanville Hotel
Crews from the Susanville City Fire Department, with the assistance of Cal-FIRE swiftly extinguished a fire early Tuesday morning at the Sure Stay-Best Western Hotel located at 2785 Main Street. The fire, which started in a nearby homeless encampment, was contained to a section of fence and did not extend into the hotel building.
At approximately 5:30a.m., the Susanville Interagency Dispatch Center sent multiple units to a report of a commercial structure fire. Upon arrival, SFD Engine 621 found a 12-foot section of fence ablaze between the hotel and the nearby Walgreens pharmacy.
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Firefighters immediately began to attack the fire and were able to quickly bring it under control.
“E621 extinguished the fire and confirmed there was no extension into the hotel,” said SFD Captain Dale Johnson. “The fire was determined to have started in a small homeless encampment, but the cause is still under investigation.”
Cal-FIRE Engine 2271 assisted with extinguishing remaining hot spots and performing an overhaul of the scene. No one was injured in the incident, and no hotel guests were displaced. The Susanville City Fire Department was supported by Cal-FIRE, the Susanville City Police Department and the Lassen County Sheriff’s Department.
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Lassen High Competition Cheer Team Tryouts Happen This Week
Lassen High School is looking for energetic and dedicated students to join their Competitive Cheer Team for the upcoming 2025-2026 season. No prior cheerleading experience is necessary; all current LHS students are welcome to try out.
Important Dates & Details
Clinics will be held this Thursday, August 21st and Friday, August 22nd, from 5:30 to 7:30p.m. in the Student Center.
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The official tryout date is Saturday, August 23rd, from 10:00a.m. to 12:00, also in the Student Center.
Requirements to Try Out
Students must complete the Athletic Clearance Process, including having a physical on file and maintaining a minimum 2.0-grade point average.
Participants should come prepared with black shorts, a white shirt, tennis shoes and water.
Long hair should be pulled back for tryouts.
For more information, interested students follow this link to fill out a tryout form. You can also contact coaches Lelah Kampfraat and Erin Padelford.
For social media updates, follow @LHSCheerleaders on Facebook, @lassenhighcheer on Instagram, and email lassencheer@gmail.com.
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Animal Shelter is Full: Now is
the Perfect Time to Adopt
Kennels at the Lassen County Animal Shelter are full according to shelter Kennel Technician Jaime Proia, with some dogs even doubled up and sharing space.
“The Lassen County Animal Shelter is at maximum capacity, and we urgently need the community’s help,” says Proia, who adds that, “Our kennels are full of wonderful dogs, especially playful pups over 6-months old, who are eagerly waiting for loving families.”
Sadly, Proia explains, this age group often gets overlooked, even though they make amazing companions.
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All altered shelter animals come spayed/neutered, UTD on vaccinations and heartworm/leukemia tested negative.
Adoption fees for altered dogs is a $25 donation plus the cost of a license. Altered cats are a $20 donation.
Special Adoption Information
Male dogs can go home on a refundable $40 neuter deposit (plus the cost of a license). Adopters are responsible for completing the neuter procedure in the time frame provided by staff and once proof of neuter is provided, the $40 deposit will be refunded.
To meet some of the dogs available for adoption visit the Lassen County Animal Shelter located at 472-000 Johnstonville Road.
Adoptable dogs can also be viewed by clicking here and heading over to petfinder.com.
The shelter can be reached at 1.530.257.9200.
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Lassen Crime Stoppers Update for August 20th
Lassen Crime Stoppers, a local organization which pays up to $1,000 for tips and information leading to the arrest of someone who commits a crime, has released this week’s list of names and photos of subjects ‘wanted’ by local law enforcement agencies.
To report information about a crime you can anonymously call a simple telephone number, (530) 502-TIPS, and if that information pays off for local law enforcement you will be paid up to $1,000 in cash.
Help clean up Lassen County by anonymously working with the Susanville Police Department, the Lassen County Probation Department and the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office through Crime Stoppers.
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| | | 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.Content
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Through your membership you help preserve local history. You can download a membership application by clicking here.
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