Exploring the potential impact of Proposition 50 on rural representation in California.

Plumas County Board’s decision respects election laws and maintains nonpartisan governance integrity.

A reflection on Downieville’s community spirit and challenges in maintaining its small-town charm.

Local protests on No Kings Day draw thousands, opposing perceived authoritarianism and celebrating democratic values.

A Congolese refugee girl is inspired amidst hardship to pursue medicine.

A local shares her reasons for leaving the Republican party and registering as an Independent.

Ranchers’ sustainable practices, like those at Shaniko Wool Company, contribute to carbon sequestration and nature conservation.

Hon. Jane York Punnea (Ret.)Post Office Box 289Sierra City, California 96125Dear Voters of Sierra County:I am writing to provide my support and endorsement for Commissioner Jason LaChance's election as Judge of the Sierra County Superior Court.I served as a Fresno County superior court judge for more than 20 years. Upon my retirement I moved to northern California where I had been raised. I have continued to serve as a trial court judge in the state Judicial Council's assigned judge program wherein I replace a judge who is ill or away or during a vacancy. Thus, I have worked as a judge in many counties and with many judicial officers. I am currently serving in a long term assignment in the Sierra County Superior Court during this vacancy. I have known Commissioner Jason LaChance from several long term assignments in Nevada County.I find his professional work in the courts to be outstanding. He has great intellect and judicial demeanor. We both work in similar types of legal pro

Frightwig performs at The Ritz Lounge in San JoseBAY AREA — If you heard drum beats echoing in the Sierra last week, they might have originated from The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco or The Ritz Lounge in San Jose.Bay Area underground punk rock iconoclasts The Avengers, Kid Congo, and Frightwig scorched audiences last Wednesday and Thursday nights with power chords and political anthems.Downieville shares a cosmic connection.Frightwig’s original drummer, Cecilia Kuhn, better known to friends as Saint Cecilia, was a longtime Downieville resident and served as Sierra County county clerk before transmuting into the celestial in 2017. Her defiant nature and relentlessly positive aura still pulsate within Frightwig today.Reminiscing about Frightwig’s original lineup, founding band member and bassist Deanna Mitchell jokingly described their trio together as comprising the ideal woman. “Cecilia had the legs. Mia had the ass. I had the tits.”They were

My father-in-law, who is in Colorado, would occasionally inquire if I was still working for the paper if he didn’t see an article with my byline. I think, by now, he understands there are many behind-the-scenes functions and duties that need to be completed to keep a newspaper going besides writing. The plethora of “non-writing” tasks our small team encounters could keep us busy for an eternity. While I find the actual “writing” of the paper is the romance of the job, bringing an incredible amount of joy, sometimes other things come first.One humongous perk aside from having a job I am passionate about and the flexible hours (especially in the summer with the kiddos) is the freedom to cover news and other topics that interest me as a writer. Acknowledging folks in print by spotlighting servants in the Sierra County communities and in government — those making a positive difference through their endeavors and accomplishments — is delightful work

As you drive up the Hwy 49 Scenic Corridor past Downieville, through Sierra City, and back down into the Sierra Valley, you certainly won’t find a more beautiful and geographically diverse county in perhaps the whole country. That’s largely why we all live here.You will also see a collection of shuttered businesses in the commercial districts, and most businesses that are still open are struggling to survive. It should be no wonder that Sierra County’s GDP ranks #58 out of California’s 58 counties. Dead last. Even Alpine County, with just over one-third of the population of Sierra County, ranks above us.It really shouldn’t be a surprise if you look at the fact that Sierra County is the only county in the state of California that has no focus and no plan for economic growth beyond increasing fees and taxes. The number of businesses throughout this county that shutter year after year steadily outpaces any new businesses. Those that remain find themselves sho

Christmas season is here! Although in California it can feel much different in the inland deserts and sun-kissed coastal cities than it does in the snow-capped Sierra Nevada, it should be a time of unity for us all. May its lessons of love, warmth, charity, and family inspire California politics this month and in our future.Sacramento inspires strong feelings, especially among Conservatives who often feel voiceless in state-level politics and are reduced to complaining about, not solving, the problems they see. Complaining is ok! Identifying problems is important and the first step toward change. But, despite the Democrat stranglehold on Sacramento, opportunity exists everywhere for Republicans. This year, invest yourselves in school boards, city governments, counties, coaching, mentoring, and church. State politics is not the end-all, be-all of life. Participate where you can. There you will find hope.To the Democrats, whose power has been little checked for decades, look charitably u

Paid Political AdvertisementDear Residents of Sierra County:We, the partners of MOBO Law, LLP, are writing to you to endorse the candidacy of John Charles LaChance, also known as Jason LaChance, to become a Superior Court Judge in Sierra County.MOBO Law, LLP is a full-service law firm originally established in Truckee, California, which is now headquartered in Reno, Nevada. We currently have physical office locations in Truckee, Tahoe City, Auburn, Reno, Zephyr Cove, and Las Vegas, and we regularly work with clients and handle matters in Sierra County, including making court appearances in Downieville.Mr. LaChance currently serves as a court commissioner in both Sierra County and Nevada County, meaning our attorneys frequently appear before him in court on litigated matters. Over the years, our attorneys have had the opportunity to personally observe Mr. LaChance’s demeanor on the bench and his ability to manage and decide cases. We feel it is important for you to know that Mr. L

As a child, I don’t remember having a ton of toys, but I did have a bookshelf filled with books in my bedroom. Every night, my father would read to me before bedtime, and I would drift off into scenes from Peter Pan or some Disney story. As elementary school progressed, I would be transported into new territories while reading Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and solving mysteries with Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene and The Hardy Boys, which various authors wrote.The time my dad spent reading to me in those early years was a gift I passed on to both my kids. I have memories of taking my eldest to the library on a weekly basis when she was young and leaving with a rolling suitcase full of books. We’d get home and read fifteen books right off the bat. By the time she was in Kindergarten, the public school requirement for each student to learn and memorize 30 sight words had risen to 50. I cannot imagine how difficult it is for a child to meet the minimum stand

SIERRA COUNTY — For nearly seven years, Jason LaChance (pronounced “La-Shaunce”) has been commuting from his residence in Truckee to the Sierra and Nevada County Superior Courts to preside over cases as the appointed Court Commissioner. Putting the miles on his Toyota Tacoma, a sense of calm envelopes him like a warm blanket when crossing into Sierra County. In this same calm spirit, he dons the black robe, leaves his chambers, and takes his place on the bench, fulfilling his role as a judicial officer. If LaChance could snap his fingers and instantly relocate himself, his wife of 23 years, and their incredible daughters to take up residence in Sierraville – he would. One day. One day. He finds Sierra County is the place where he can “breathe.” Folks in these mountains and the valley absolutely understand his yearning to “breathe” in our parts. It only takes one drive to Grass Valley or Reno, and most of us cannot wait to return to our li