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October 18, 2018

MEMORIES OF LOYALTON
By Sandra Lee Jones Sumner
The past stays with us forever in our memories. One of my favorites is learning how to ride my new yellow girl's bicycle. It was in the first grade when my parents gave me my first "hot rod" and my dad was the one to teach me how to ride. He helped me climb onto
the seat and told me to put one foot on each peddle. I know I was really excited to have two "wheels" for the first time, graduating from a tricycle.
Daddy gave me a push and around the very long block I went past White's gas station, turning left at the next corner, and left again just before the Baptist church, passing by Reverend Snyder's home, then our white house with yellow shutters on the corner facing Main Street. My dad called out, "Keep on going. Keep on peddling." After three times around I realized Daddy did not tell me how to make my shiny new bicycle stop!
On trip number four, as I made the full block-long plus ride, Daddy reached for my new bike and it came to a sudden stop with him grabbing the handlebars and the back edge of my seat. That's when I told him "I love you."
My mother Irene, worked in the post office; my dad Ted worked at the mercantile store, across the street from the large metal round-topped quonset building they owned, the Loyalton movie theatre. I remember sitting in the front row at the theatre with school friends, heads tilted way back to view the showing of "The Little Rascals".
We lived in Loyalton till seventh grade, moving to Alturas, leaving behind treasured memories and wonderful friends. I have been a devoted reader of the Loyalton Booster all my life, even before the Wright family took over printing it when my grandparents moved to Portola where they had a newspaper.
(NOTE: Hal and Allene Wright started the Sierra Booster in 1949. At the time, there was no newspaper in eastern Sierra County.)

Hi Jan
Susan and I were watching the TV show “CBS Sunday Morning” recorded 9/16/18.............Bill Geist was airing his 'final' show and about 3/4 way through, SURPRISE SURPRISE, up popped Hal looking just as ever.....he was answering a phone with “good morning, Sierra Booster”.
Then your Dad took Geist on a flight delivering the Booster......during the flight, Geist quipped “I don't want to complain but that looks like a mountain just in front of us”................your Dad responded “I'll be darned, I wonder who put that there”. All this out of the blue.......great to see a video of your Dad, looking just like I remembered him. You probably have the info on that trip. Susan found a better URL on You Tube. https://youtu.be/gRdCR7X9cyc
Best regards,
Jim & Susan Olsen

To my fellow voters,
WHO IS AUDREY DENNEY?
Audrey Denney is a farmer.
Audrey Denney is an educator, experienced in the classroom.
Audrey Denney is aware of the world with volunteer time in El Salvador and Ghana
Audrey Denney knows water issues are not “cut and dried”.
Audrey Denney is committed to health care for all.
Audrey Denney supports Social Security and Medicare without privatization.
Audrey Denney shows up, whether small rural town or larger city.
Audrey Denney is a gun owner who advocates reasonable gun legislation.
Audrey Denney grew up and works in our district.
Audrey Denney is running for CA District 1 now
Audrey Denney works with energy; we need that.
Look at her bio on FB or on https://www.audreyforcongress.com/meet_audrey
There is a lot about this candidate that is right for us.
Linda Guffin

WHEN THE DEBATE IS LOST
Socrates said: “When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the losers” such is the case with all the lies, unproved accusations, innuendo's, presumption of guilt over innocence by muck racking sensationalist Democratic Senators and their accomplices in the main stream media causing serious, deplorable, deleterious actions upon not only on a single individual, his family, but that of our nation and justice system. For fourteen weeks since Justice kavanaughs nomination in July 2018 have we ever witnessed such behavior by the liberal, socialist Democrats. If ever in your life, something didn't open your eyes to the corrupt attitudes of the Democrats this should have as it shows what they stand for in their attempts to circumvent an individual's rights, the rule of law, Constitution and the Bill of Rights, if you agreed with their actions, then you are part of the problem and certainly not the answer to this Nations future which leads us to the midterm elections of not only Congress, state elections but that of Loyalton City Council. I trust you will vote to continue the success of this Nation's recovering economy over reckless attitudes of Democrats and that of the previous eight years.
Ballots are out, election is upon us, given the history of Loyalton government, what direction will it go now. Loyalton has a revolving history of problems provided by previous leadership as we witnessed corruption and self-serving agendas in a failed water coup, questionable funding of rocks, $10K each, bad choice in relocation of city hall and museum to a building that is costly to operate, maintain, heat or cool and according to the State California is in decay, hence unable to house students. Still missing is thousands of enterprise dollars along with cash road tax funds, BUT, a nice pavilion in the park HUUUM? City's broke, bad credit rating, can't get loans or bonds, sewer plant in decay/disrepair, being worked on with funds achieved through lawsuit. Bad choice by previous city council in reduction of water rates, and you are about to pay for that soon. Bad choice by previous city council not to collect thousands in overdue water bills from Loyalton Mobile Estates for many years. Bad choice made to pull out of CalPers, CalPers having made the decision to cut a major portion of retired city employees retirement, this is yet to be resolved. Bad choice in not having a city engineer/planner/inspector, it's felt by one candidate we don't need one, wants to borrow one from Plumas County, no responsibility or accountability in that! Bad choice on 100 year flood plain plan, there isn't one according to the city clerk but told we have nice pictures showing flood plain. A flood plain plan is required by State Law under CA Government Codes including Sections of which County of Sierra uses, 65800 & 65910. Federal Law, U.S. Code Title 33 › Chapter 15 › § 701b–12 and 44 CFR Part 9 – Floodplain Management and protection of wetlands and many more laws and requirements the city is ignoring. Bad choice's being made in city management and maintenance of infrastructure, town streets, curbs, gutter cleaning, brush, weed and tree abatement and the city has failed miserably to maintain CalTrans property easements under City Improvements, Contribution Agreement 03-0051-03221-374120, dated May 25, 1996, page 2, Section III, Paragraph 3: “The City of Loyalton will maintain IMPROVEMENTS.” This refers to all of downtown in the beautification plan agreed upon by CalTrans, County of Sierra and the City of Loyalton. Water system in cemetery where your family and friends are laid to rest has been broken for a long time and there is so much more! Who or what is the root of these problems, easy, BAD CHOICES, poor decision making, mismanagement, fiscally irresponsible people, questionable accounting and budget practices and very questionable leadership in the past along with questionable ethics of those who have served in the past and no doubt in the future and these are just a few reasons. Some will try to blame the current outgoing mayor though problems inherited, but the word leadership is just that. Albert Einstein's definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, that has been the case with Loyalton since incorporation but to be fair, at least fifteen years ago there were a few who worked hard to improve the city by solving problems the right way but got discouraged and moved on. In my thirty years in Loyalton I have never seen people work so hard to fail. I think it is safe to say there is no exaggeration in these comments, problems, issues and facts facing Loyaltons past, present and future. One has to admit the gene pool from which to choose and vote for a candidate is shallow at best looking at past history. I think given a year a city manager with the necessary legal skills backed by proper credentials and experience given the authority possibly with court backing could repair these revolving problems. The city of Loyalton is a train wreck that has already happened and the rock at the East end of town hosting a train welcoming you to Loyalton is appropriate after all !
Michael Welbourn, Loyalton, CA

Editor,
We often hear there is no difference between the major political parties. That's baloney. There are huge differences. Democrats support people. The republicans support their mega rich donors. Democrats will preserve Medicare, Social Security, our schools, roads, public health, police and fire, children and families, wild life and the planet. Republicans support prosperity for the prosperous, the one percent. Republicans only campaign promises are to reduce regulation (so they can poison us all) and reduced taxes on the wealthy. They just did a massive transfer of wealth from working people to the kleptocrats and got away with it. One example will be when the Republicans eliminate Medicare and Medicaid which will be the end of rural and small urban hospitals. They voted over 50 times to end the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and are still working on it. If you are a citizen you need to vote.
Don McKechnie
Sierraville


Submitted: 10/22/18
Article By: Sierra Booster