After hundreds of wildcats and coyotes were poisoned to secure human existence in the Honey Lake Valley, farmers had to constantly battle pesky jackrabbits. Packs of them were known to destroy single crops in less than a week. The newspaper encourages young men to help the farmers by hunting jackrabbits instead of playing baseball.

30 years ago

A three-alarm fire gutted the Old Deer Heart Lodge in Westwood. Three units of the Westwood Fire Department and 32 volunteers helped extinguish the blaze, thought by fire investigators to have been sparked by faulty electrical wires.

25 years ago

The Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors cashed in their interpretations of the county’s general plan.

The commission accused the board of expecting approvals of every development plan while the board stated there were no reasons for the commission to reject the projects.

20 years ago

Local voters will have the final say on the future of Lassen County’s library system.

A ballot measure approved by the Lassen County Board of Supervisors at a special meeting asked voters to approve both the establishment of a County Service area and an $18 annual assessment to provide continued library services.

Those that approve the measure will be included in County Services Area No. 3 and will pay the assessment.

Voters in those districts that do not want library services will not be included in the county service area and will not be required to pay the assessment.

Approval by two-thirds of the voters is required for passage of a measure.

10 years ago

Despite a growing list of letters to the editor and a one-man crusade to prove the presence of gangs, Susanville’s Police Chief Jim Wages said there are no organized gangs living or operating in Susanville.

Wages and Sgt. Michael Haldane informed members of the Susanville Rotary Club at its Wednesday, July 31 meeting that while gang graffiti may be seen in Susanville, that doesn’t mean gang activity is on the rise.

Haldane has been studying gangs for the police department since 1992 and produced documentation to support his claim.

Five years ago

Despite smoky air and temperatures in the high 90s, an estimated 30,000 people saw the Vietnam memorial wall at Susanville Ranch Park in early July, according to Joe Sturgeon, of the Susanville Remembrance Committee.

The committee that brought the replica 80 percent of the size of the Washington, D.C. Vietnam Veterans Memorial to Susanville July 6-9 got its attendance figures from the American Veteran’s Traveling Tribute organization, which takes the wall from one community to another for viewing.

One year ago

A new program offered by the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office will provide citizens an informal venue to ask questions or voice their concerns.

In a press release, LCSO Captain Matt McFarland said “The Coffee with a Cop program is a unique way to strengthen the partnership between local sheriff’s office and the community it serves. It is designed to enhance communication between concerned citizens and sheriff’s deputies.”