Reprinted with permission by the Sierra County Historical Society from The Sierran of April 1971, Vol 3., No.1

This week we bring you more about the history of the Kanaka Creek diggings as found in Wm. Pickiepoche’s transcription of reminiscences from a gold rush miner, first published in the Tuolumne Curier in 1860.

Uncredited artwork closing this article in The Sierran of April 1971

Whilst Cunningham was on the [Kanaka] Creek, he had a single-handed fight with a grizzly bear; coming off the victor, after a hard fight, and having completely used a Mississippi yager [Does anyone have an idea for what weapon Cunningham used?] on this ursine majesty’s cranium. Cunningham was completely stripped of his clothing, and so far exhausted that he lid down to die on the side-hill, but was happily rescued by some miners who had been attracted that way by rapid shots he had fired. They carefully packed him into camp, together with the bear, where great rejoicings were made for the victor. Cunningham ...

ALLEGHANY: March 6th - Firefighters trained. March 9th - Responded for an ill person who was transported to rendezvous with the ALS ambulance and transported to SNMH.

DOWNIEVILLE: March 6th - Officer's meeting. March 7th - Responded for a public assist. March 9th - Responded for a public assist. March 11th - Responded for an ill juvenile - canceled.

LOYALTON: March 6th - 9:19 a.m., dehydration, Sierra Brooks. March 7th - 7:27 a.m., vehicle rollover, assist to Sierra Valley Fire in their area. March 8th - 1:55 p.m., lift assist, west of Loyalton. March 9th - 5:34AM, unresponsive patient, Sierra Brooks. March 10th - 3:11PM, possible heart attack, west of Loyalton.

PIKE CITY: March 6th - Firefighters trained. March 9th - Mutual aid response to Alleghany for an ill person - canceled; responded for a propane leak; mutual aid response to Camptonville for a vehicle fire - canceled.

SIERRA CITY: All's quiet.... No training, no meetings, no emergencies....

SIERRA COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT #1(C...

Monday, March 6

07:26 - There was a request to get some supplies out to someone on Mountain House Road in Goodyears Bar.

08:19 - Someone requested a welfare check for an individual in Downieville off of Main Street.

09:24 - Eastern Plumas Health Care Ambulance was needed on Roundup Drive in Loyalton.

10:49 - There was a confidential investigation.

11:28 - Someone accidentally dialed 911 from Beckwith Street in Loyalton.

12:25 - In Sierraville off of E. Willow, someone was cited for a misdemeanor warrant.

13:37 - There was a report of a damaged vehicle that might have been involved in a hit and run in Loyalton.

16:05 - There was a 911 hang up from Downieville.

16:59 - There was a piece of firewood in the middle of Lombardi Point in Loyalton.

18:49 - Multiple vehicles were preventing snow removal in the Downieville area.

Tuesday, March 7

07:31 - Loyalton Fire Department was called out for a roll over vehicle on HWY 49 at the Sierra Plumas county lines.

10:57 - On Mountain Quail Road in Calpine, an am...

Watching snowflakes falling down

By Linda Julian Rutherford

Watching snowflakes falling down

Drifting softly to the ground

Now, it is starting to pile

Bringing to my face a smile

We love the changing of the seasons

Which is one of many reasons

Why we choose to live here now

The where, the when and also how

This is the life that we sought

Drinking a nice beverage, hot

On the fire, one more log

Digging pathways for the dog

The weather person on TV

Getting hopes up, for those who ski

Says further storms, on the way,

Might snow you in another day

Closing down a major highway

There is no alternate byway

Do not take a country back road

GPS is wrong what it showed

I’m tired of this epic snow

Another storm, time to blow

Shoveling it above my head

More piling up, makes me dread

As it’s getting deeper still

Making mountains from a hill

There is nowhere, to put more

Oh, my muscles, they are sore

When the snow plow leaves a berm

Making soft snow very firm

Now it is “Sierra Cement”

Another natural event

Mother Nature’s still in cha...

Moose Lodge at Palm Beach Gardens

I walked into the Moose Lodge on RCA Boulevard feeling out of sorts. The scheduled Celebration of Life for Nanci was due to end in 20 minutes. Otherwise, it had been a usual Sunday for me, with a busy morning—a Garden Tour in Palm Beach with Patti and then lunch with Caroline and Sam.

After dropping off Patti at her place I sped north on I-95. I pulled into the parking lot mostly filled with pick-up trucks and a few motorcycles. Outside were gathered a few smokers with beer bottles hanging loosely at their sides. Their glances my way made me feel a bit uneasy. I walked through the entrance into a reception area with pictures of past Moose members. I then realized I didn’t really know why I was there.

Nanci was one of the regular counter gals at Greens, my local pharmacy and lunch place in Palm Beach. Over the past 20 years I only knew her first name and that was from the nametag she wore. Not one to talk much, she was always short on words and did her job...