7/03/09 - Community Garage Sale

The LAW Auxiliary Community Yard & Garage Sale will be held next Saturday, July 11, 2009 from 8 a.m. until 12 noon. Now is the time to clean out those garages and attics or maybe to find some good bargains. You are in charge of your own yard sale and all profits from sales are yours to keep! Maps of Lake Almanor West are available at the front entrance. You may pick up yard signs at Georgia Knutsen's front porch. This is always a fun event for those selling and for those attending and buying! For more information, please call Georgia Knutsen.

6/30/09 - Firehall Improvements

In case you've been wondering about all the activity at the West Almanor Fire Department on Long Iron Drive, here's the scoop. During the next few months you'll see some significant changes there as the facility undergoes both major maintenance and capital improvements. Clearing and earth moving are already underway to make space for an addition to the fire hall.  A combined training/meeting room will be added to the northeast corner of the building. The addition will also be the new entrance to the station, complete with handicapped access. The entire station will then be reroofed, and expanded parking will be added along the east side of the parcel.

6/30/09 - Favorable End to Precipitation Season

The 2008-2009 precipitation season ended on June 30th with some encouraging results for the Lake Almanor basin. Precipitation during the two previous seasons had fallen well short of average, but the current twelve month period did much better at 98% of average. A major portion of that improvement can be attributed to above average rainfall received during the final two months of the season.

Looking first at the month of June, the Prattville monitoring site received 2.32 inches of rain during the month, which is more than two and a half times the average amount for the month. No additional snow fell in the basin during June.

Annual totals for the most recent July through June season came to 144 inches of snowfall (106% of average) and 32.62 inches of total precipitation (rain plus the water content of snow). Our snowfall was drier than average during this past season, leading to less spring runoff and initial concerns about a third dry year in a row. However, our unusually wet late spring period provided critically needed moisture for local vegetation and brought the total precipitation figure back up to near average.

The past five seasons have included two "wet" years (2004-2005, 2005-2006) followed by two "dry" years (2006-2007, 2007-2008), and now a near average year. For the sake of the thirsty folks downstream, it would be nice to have another "wet" year or two.
 

6/28/09 - Onion Summit Motor Outing

The next Outdoor Eccentrics motor outing will be a trip along the historic Lassen Emigrant Trail. We will drive west on Hwy 36 to the Hwy 32 turnoff at Deer Creek Meadows, and then leave the pavement for about 13 miles of adventure as we retrace the route of the old wagon road, now an important logging road.  There will be several short stops along the way, including one involving a short (quarter mile) hike to view what is billed as the world's largest living Ponderosa pine. After cresting Onion Summit, we will proceed a short distance further west to our destination: a vantage point on the rim of the scenic Mill Creek canyon.

Participants should plan to meet at the Lake Almanor West Recreation Area parking lot at 8:30 am on Saturday, July 18. The outing involves driving on unpaved and dusty forest roads; SUVs and pickups are ideal for such a trek.  Bring water, a snack, cameras, binoculars and GPS receivers if you have them.  Maps will be provided to assist your navigation.   Most of all, bring along your curiosity as we try to envision what things must have been like for those early pioneers.  Questions? Want an advance copy of the map by e-mail? Contact Dale Knutsen at 259-2287 or at dngknut@frontiernet.net .

6/26/09 - Open Burning Banned

Effective the 1st of July, all residential burning is banned by order of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire).  This is the customary suspension of burning that occurs during the fire season, and remains in effect until CalFire rescinds the order (generally after the first autumn snows or heavy rains). At Lake Almanor West, the burn ban encompasses ALL OPEN FIRES involving wood fuels, including fire rings, fire pits or metal enclosures, even those with screens.

6/26/09 - Fireworks Prohibited

A reminder from the West Almanor Fire Department. Fireworks are prohibited throughout Plumas County. The prohibition includes ALL forms of fireworks (even so-called "safe and sane" types), and is in effect at ALL times of the year. No exceptions -- no excuses.

6/26/09 - LAW Auxiliary Ice Cream Social

Everyone is invited to the Annual Ice Cream Social hosted by the LAW Auxiliary and this year also sponsored by WACC and the West Almanor Mutual Water Company. This year's event will be held Sunday, July 5 at 2:30 p.m. at the Recreation Area (after the 1:00 p.m. WACC Annual Meeting) . For more information, please call Sharon Weslar. Hope to see you there!

6/24/09 - Duplicate Bridge

Bridge was played Friday, June 19th, at Wildwood Senior Center.  Twenty eight persons participated in the game that was orchestrated by Jeannette Smith.  Roberta Carlson and Jeannette Smith scored in first place with a terrific score of 63 points and a percentage of 70%.  This is a very high percentage and seldom reached in one of our games.  So kudos to Roberta and Jeannette for a fantastic performance!
Hannalore and Calvin Zerwick were second with a score of 52.5 points or/and 52.5%.  Third place was won by Greta Wing and Donna Huhn with a score of 49.5 points or 55%.  Helen Souter and Will Eggers placed fourth with a score of 48 points or 53.3%. 
 
There will not be a bridge game on June 26th at Wildwood Senior Center.  Instead we will be playing at the Lake Almanor Country Club Clubhouse on the peninsula.  We will be supporting the Seneca Auxiliary fund raiser lunch and game day.  The next Wildwood Duplicate Bridge will be played on Friday, July 3rd.  All bridge players are welcome and a bridge partner can usually be arranged.  Please call Jack Frank at 259-2777 or email anitaandjack@hotmail.com if you wish to play.  Reservations are required. Anyone living in the Almanor basin as well as persons in Susanville are encouraged to play.
 

6/22/09 - Annual Meeting

The annual meeting will be Sunday, July 5, at 1 pm in the park. Lunch will not be provided this year. Instead, the Auxiliary is hosting an ice cream social at the conclusion of the West Almanor Community Club and West Almanor Mutual Water Company meetings. The Inspector of Elections will count the ballots for the two vacancies on the Board of Directors and results will be announced at the meeting.

6/22/09 - Water Board Candidate Applications

Candidate applications for the West Almanor Mutual Water Company are due Monday, July 6, 2009 at 2 pm.  (See notice of  6/05/09)

6/08/09 - Book Group

The next meeting will be: August 10, 2009 at the home of Debbie Holden. The book will be: Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. You are welcome rather you have read the book or not.

6/08/09 - Security Schedule

The security schedule is as follows:
     Thursday:  3:00 to 9:00 p.m.
     Friday:      2:00 to 9:00 p.m.
     Saturday:  2:00 to 9:00 p.m.
     Sunday:    3:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Security times may change due to certain situations.  The security phone number is 258-9100. 
Call anytime during the day to leave a message.  Cell coverage is hit and miss, so please keep calling to reach security.    Dave Delay
 

6/05/09- Water Board Vacancies Announced

West Almanor Mutual Water Company has two (2) positions up for election on the Board of Directors.
If you are interested in applying for this position, please contact the WACC Office at 177 Lake Almanor West Drive 259-4646
Applications must be returned to the WACC Office NO LATER THAN JULY 6, 2009 2 P.M.   Ballots will be mailed on July 10, 2009.
Ballots must be returned BY AUGUST 9, 2009 to the WACC Office via hand delivery or mailed to PO Box 1040, Chester, CA, 96020.

3/25/09 - Green Waste Disposal

Now that bare ground is starting to appear on our lots, it's time to begin the usual spring cleanup chores in the yard. One environmentally-friendly way of disposing of those accumulated needles, twigs, branches and such is to take them to the Mt. Lassen Power cogeneration plant near Westwood (just off Road A-21 between Clear Creek and Westwood). They will accept needles, cones, leaves and assorted small slash for a modest fee of $1.50per cubic yard. Mt. Lassen Power begin accepting this kind of green waste on Thursday, April 2, and will initially be open from 8 am to 4 pm on Tuesdays through Saturdays. Hours may expand later. For further information, call them at 256-3157.