mountainecho.com

By Valerie Lakey
Mountain Echo reporter
FALL RIVER MILLS – The Intermountain Tea Party hosted a Candidate’s Night last week to provide the community with a chance to get to know candidates for Assembly, Congress and Shasta County Supervisor. Not all candidates were in attendance, but those who were had the opportunity to present their platform and history in a brief five minutes and answer a few questions.

By Ron Mosher
Mountain Echo reporter
BURNEY – Do you remember swimming in Burney Creek as a youngster? How about roller skating at Mount Burney school? Or, how about Bing Crosby leading the Burney Basin Days Parade? Maybe the Family Liquor Store clock at Burney Bowl?
If you remember any of the above, then you must have spent some time during your lifetime living in Burney.
Last summer, Peggy Turner Prescott started a facebook page entitled, “You know you are from Burney when…?” and the popularity of the social media page exploded with members fondly sharing their memories of living in Burney at one time or another from the 1940’s right up until the present. Within its first week, more than 400 people tuned in and joined the fun of reminiscing and telling stories of their time in town. Now, with more than 840 members and 240 photographs, the site has furnished the outgrowth of a planned Town Reunion set for July 6-8 in conjunction with the annual Burney Basin Days celebration this summer.

By Walt Caldwell
Mountain Echo editor
The California Public Utilities Commission okayed a draft of a PG&E Smart Meter Program modification to include an option for residential customers who do not wish to have a wireless Smart Meter installed at their location to have an analog meter. When signed, it will allow the change, but will place an initial charge for the change of between $10 and $90 and a monthly fee thereafter of between $5 and $10 for not having the Smart Meter.

BURNEY – A room filled to capacity was on hand to hear the most recent budget projections from the Fall River Joint Unified School District (FRJUSD). The bottom line is the state’s inability to solve its financial crisis is now being passed on the educational system. The problem is some districts are taking harder cuts than others. For the 2012-2013 school year it amounts to $700,000 for FRJUSD.

By Valerie Lakey
Mountain Echo reporter
Fall River Mills – Employee and group recognition is very important and a new effort for recognition has been set up in the Mayers Memorial Hospital District. The Board of Trustees was brought up to date on several items, including a new recognition program. Margaret Truan has organized a group of volunteers whose main function is department recognition. A calendar has been established for each month throughout the year. This month CRNA’s and the activities staff have been honored.

By Valerie Lakey
Mountain Echo reporter
McARTHUR – The Inter-Mountain Fair of Shasta County takes place each Labor Day weekend. Plans for events, décor and entries all revolve around one thing, the theme. If you have a great idea for a fair theme, now is the time to submit it. Entry deadline for the theme is February 16. Ideas may be submitted to the fair office in person, by mail (P.O. Box 10, McArthur) or by email (imfair@shasta.com). The winning entry will receive to admission wristbands for this year’s fair.

The gray wolf designated OR7 has remained in California since he crossed the state line on Dec. 28. The latest released documentation shows he was between Likely and Madeline in the vicinity of Hwy 395. The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) closely monitors the wolf’s position and progress, and will report on his status through a new website at www.dfg.ca.gov/wolf/.
While OR7 is the only documented wolf in California, any wild gray wolf that returns to California is protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).