Remember When for the week of 4/30/19
120 years ago
When Susanville residents cracked open their local paper, they discovered the headline “Nature hates a bachelor.” According to a study by “a celebrated Berlin physician,” a man who wanted to preserve his strength and health and live a long life ought to marry.
The doctor compared the death rate for single and married men between the ages of 30 and 45 and found it 27 percent for single men and 18 percent for married men.
At age 60, there were 22 bachelors compared to 48 married men. At age 70, there were only three bachelors compared to nine married men.
70 years ago
According to a census conducted by the state of California, Susanville had 5,305 residents living within the city limits. Another 1,500 to 2,000 people lived in company housing and adjacent areas such as the Fruit Grower’s Supply Company, below Mesa Street, and in the Indian Heights area.
The state census figures were used to calculate the city’s share of gas taxes.
45 years ago
Lassen College was formally dedicated May 13 with the laying of a cornerstone. Grand Lodge officials from the California Free and Accepted Mason traveled for three days by bus from San Francisco via Eureka and Redding to participate in and attend the ceremony to celebrate the opening of Susanville’s Grand Lodge.
30 years ago
It took a pair of Chester High School sweethearts from the class of 1957 30 years to discover love at first sight.
The couple met during the summer of 1955 and dated through high school, but argued and broke up graduation night. Each one moved to a different town, married another person and lived an entirely different life.
Although neither can remember what it was they fought about at the graduation dance, the couple reunited and attended their 30-year reunion as newlyweds.
25 years ago
Susanville’s City Council strongly objected to the Lassen County Transportation Commission’s support of a proposed Highway 36 Susanville bypass.
Caltrans officials said they would not spend an estimated $80 billion to construct the bypass without the full support of the city.
20 years ago
A complaint sent to the California Attorney General alleges District Attorney Bob Burns had a conflict of interest when he refused to prosecute alleged Brown Act violations.
The Lassen County DA sits on the School Attendance Review Board he refused to investigate, according to the letter of complaint from Holly Faure, a concerned parent.
15 years ago
The Susanville City Council now has a zero tolerance policy for problems at the city skate park.
Susanville’s Parks and Recreations director Rob Hill said the decision was made to address problems mainly at Memorial Park, where liter and broken bottles became an increasing problem. Hill said Parks and Recreation staff were frazzled from constantly dealing with the issues and wanted to make clear “it is not the vast majority of kids using it” who are contributing to the problem.
Last year
Work continues to bring Westwood properties cited for health and safety code violations in 2017 into compliance. Chris Gallagher, District 1 Lassen County supervisor, said in a telephone interview with the Westwood PinePress, that properties currently posted and boarded up most likely were not brought up to code. Sometimes there is no response from property owners and some properties have been abandoned, said Gallagher. In those cases, a tax lien is placed on the property and steps are taken to keep squatters out.
Following an April 2017 Town Hall meeting in Westwood, Lassen County mailed 178 letters to inform property owners of code violations. By June, when the next Town Hall meeting was held, it was reported that 50 residents had already come into compliance.
