Category: Opinions

Opinions

CA Department of Fish and Game FEE structure

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A new California bill called AB 2376 (Hutchensen) has passed the legislature. This is an injustice and will cause economic injury to Californians.
Governor’s office is 916-445-2841.
We must call the Governor and request a veto of this bill.
AB 2376 gives California Department of Fish and Game the power to establish a FEE structure; and will serve to reduce or eliminate any dependence it may have on the general fund.
This gives the agency the ability to place un-levied taxes on the water users of California. All agencies will follow suit.
This will affect all citizens. We must demand that the governor veto this bill. We have no money left to give. The bucket is dry. The government is killing us with these oppressive regulations.
Please call the
Governor’s office at 916-445-2841.
to request he veto this bill immediately. There is very little time to act. CALL NOW.
A new California bill called AB 2376 (Hutchensen) has passed the legislature. This is an injustice and will cause economic injury to Californians.
Governor’s office is 916-445-2841.
We must call the Governor and request a veto of this bill.
Please send this urgent request to everyone in the data base and to anyone you can. We must act NOW!!!!!!

Liz Bowen
Liz Writes Life.com

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Former Happy Camp Guide on Monument Proposal

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Siskiyou Crest National Monument Proposal

National Monuments are a land-grab by the federal government and greatly restrict access and use to lands that were designated for “public” use.

Thank you to Tim Grenvik, a Scott Valley resident who used to live in Happy Camp, for bringing his concern with his short comment:

I’ve been hearing snippets off and on for some time now regarding this move, but nothing official. Having seen how establishment of the Smith River system as a “national recreation area” drastically changed what I can, and can no longer do over there, has me worried about the Siskiyou Crest proposal. I’ve enjoyed many years of various ”outdoor activities” in the Siskiyou’s and have grave concerns should it be defined as a “national monument”. I can say with some certainty, you would no longer be able to enjoy that country the way you used to. If you stop to take a moment and reflect on the many changes you’ve personally witnessed over the years, the many activities you can no longer enjoy on public lands, then you may see there has been a shift in policy that denies you your right to enjoy the outdoors. This proposal, should it be enacted, would be the final straw on a huge expanse of land in our back yard that is already partially denied to us. Just think LSR’s (spotted owls), wilderness expansion, road removal, stream course protection, and gates on public land – all deny us access or use in the name of “management”.

I have always asked but one question — ‘MANAGEMENT FOR WHO?’

Opinions

It’s the Most Wonderful Place in the World!

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Happy Camp is a friendly little town at the top of California. It is a beautiful place. Some, like Dennis,  say it is a majestic place. The wild Klamath River winds its way from Oregon to the Coast surrounded by evergreen forests beneath a beautiful azure blue sky. Last trip down the river there were several foxes crossing the road, which I like to see, and a skumk which I’d rather avoid. In the past we have seen many black tail deer, elk, moutain lion, and bear. Squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, and ringtails can also be seen. In the past, we used to watch the water for frolicing otters but I haven’t seen any lately.

 What we don’t see many of, is people. Oh, there are a few cars, a few homes, and sometimes people in various modes of travel, hiking, bicycling, motorcycling or driving down the highway. Sometimes you can see a person or a group in a canoe, kayak, raft or driftboat on the River.

 The thing that makes this beautiful part of creation the most wonderful place in the World is the volunteerism of the community. When we work together, we can accomplish anything!! The Grange and others in the community built our River Park, a wonderful place to gather with friends for quiet times, or festive events, for the neighbors in Happy Camp. Why even getting a high school in the depression seemed impossible from all points of view. With land and logs donated and lots of labor from the community, a two room log high school was built and served the educational needs for some years, until expansion was needed with the current high school on Indian Creek Road.

 The Family Reseource Center has a gigantic need for volunteers in many areas of service that they provide. For little kids they can use people to teach arts and crafts, or offer books to the youngsters. For families they offer family nights and parenting classes. For our neighbors with the green thumbs they are launching a fabulous new community garden. It will be a great opprotunity to learn and grow food and flowers for many good purposes. They also work together with the Happy Seniors for advice on what the senior citizens of our community need. They can use drivers right now since many of the seniors need rides to medical appointments both here in town and out of town. 

 What do you have to offer? What do you think needs to be done? What is keeping us from all working together to achieve the goals and objectives that will bring about the best possible community for our children, our families and every individual living in this wonderful Place?  

That is what this New Year, 2010, stretches before us with possibilities. Let’s work together and accomplish great things!

Happy Camp, Opinions

Chief Daniel Packer Honored, Mourned

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 A sunrise memorial service had been held in honor of Chief Daniel Packer at the Ukonom Complex Incident Command Post in Orleans in the morning. Over a thousand firefighters attended to honor the fallen firefighter who died in the line of duty. Many more attended services in Happy Camp that evening.

  Chief Packer was from Washington, the East Pierce Fire & Rescue. He was preparing to take over duties of division supervision on the Panther Fire, 15 miles south of Happy Camp in rural Siskiyou County, California.  He was an experienced and able firefighter, but while Packer was scouting the fire, the wind shifted and the fire blew over him.

 Each and every firefighter that comes to fight fires in our neck of the woods does so in peril of his life. We dare not take lightly the courage and valiant honor of these firefighters.

Tributes to Chief Packer mentioned his courage, service and commitment, as is true of many of our heroes fighting wildfires in the forest but some especially noted his faith, compassion and humility.  

We pray that God will bless and comfort the Packer family and his friends and comrades on the fire line who have our deepest sympathy.  Chief Packer is among those heroes who selfishly give of themselves for their fellowmen, and his sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Firefighters, Happy Camp, Memorial, Opinions

Family

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by Alexis

As a Happy Camp High School student, I am here to tell you about Family. I haven’t’ really been into my family, until I reached the age of 14. I finally realized if I don’t talk to my family that I would regret it.

I was never into my family when I was in my childhood. I lived far away from my family at one point in time. In that time I felt like there was a big hole in me and I never could find out what it was. One day I was sitting on the front of the house. I received a phone call and it was my mom. She said that she was coming to get me and she missed me and couldn’t wait to see me. She finally got her act together and realized I was what she wanted to help her through what she was going through. She showed up and I got my stuff and came home. Ever since I have tried so hard to keep up with my family, but some times there are too much, emotionally and physically.

My family has so much to share with me if I sit down and just listen five minutes. I feel it changes my life. These are some things I learned from my family stories, pictures, baskets, dresses, regalia, recipes movies and many more. I drifted away and mom tried to get me to go here and there with her to see family and stuff like that, but I would just stay home. I felt like the only thinks I needed was me, myself and I, but I found out the hard way, losing family I never had a chance to sit down and talk to. I lost a lot of history, and things I will never be able to recover.

People don’t realize that our elders are the most important people to our communities. These precious people hold and know many things. When I look around I see how kids act toward their elders. They may have been born in the 50’s or the 60’s but if it wasn’t for them telling us to do thing or that, just think of what the world would be like today! If we can just sit down to hear our elders out, I bet that we would have a better understanding of one another. Our elders know how to help us or teach us. If we just gave them the respect they need they won’t be so hurt or torn. We need to give our elders more respect and more love.

Sometimes some people don’t have a mom or a dad, brother or sister, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have family. Maybe you live with your auntie or uncle or grandparents, but you still have family. We all need to sit down and talk more to the people that are close to us.

Editorials, Elders, Family, Opinions, Teenagers

Happy Camp High’s Football Future

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by Joe Harrison

What would happen if we didn’t have a football coach next year?

What would Happy Camp do without football? Happy Camp High has had football for at least fifty years. It is a community tradition. Everybody who has ever gone to high school here comes to watch the games. All of the elders come to watch the young kids play. Even people who don’t have kids in school come to root for the kids who are playing.

I don’t think most of the kids would even come to school if there wasn’t a football team. We would lose school funds, which support our school. We would lose out trips, our COS trip and other fieldtrips.

Then, what’s left for us kids to do? There would be nothing but trouble, and everybody would drink. At school, kids would be out of control. There would be a lot more fights and drug use because there would be no motivation to go to school.

What would Happy Camp do without football? I think this whole town would turn into a hell hole—nothing but druggies and alcoholics and need a lot more law enforcement.

How many kids in this community do you think would graduate if we didn’t have a football team? Perhaps as many as 35% pf high school students wouldn’t stay in school to graduate. Some of the kids I’ve talked to said it there wasn’t a football team they wouldn’t even show up for school. I think it would all go in a chain reaction, first football, and then basketball.

As we grow older, people say that the young look up to us. Well, how are they supposed to look up to us when we have nothing to do but drink and do drugs! There would be a big change, instead d of playing in a game on Friday night, we would be getting drunk and driving our cars around, and that’s how 50% of the teens die in this neck of the woods.

What are some of the benefits of playing football? One benefit of playing football is to release stress, and stay in shape. However, the best thing about playing football is a person gains discipline and self control.

Football is a very fun activity. Guys can get girls and they learn more about the game. Students also show the people in the crowd what they’re made of. When the team goes on an out of town game, they get to travel a long way sometimes. The most fun part about traveling is eating fast food. When the players travel to other towns they represent our school and Mr. Dyer. That is why everyone is on their best behavior.

Last, but not least, I would like to talk about Coach John Kufner. He has been coaching at Happy Camp for over thirty years. He has more wins than I’ve had girl friends, and that’s a lot. He is a legend in his own time, and now it’s time for him to sit at home and watch football on television like the legend that he is.

No matter what happens here in Happy Camp, football needs to keep going on!

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