Brandon Criss, a 4^th generation rancher from the Butte Valley area has announced his candidacy for Siskiyou County Supervisor District 1.  He raises commercial Angus cattle and alfalfa hay.

Criss is a 2006 graduate of Leadership Siskiyou County.  He earned his Masters’ Degree in Public Administration from Norwich University in 2008.  “I know that Leadership Siskiyou County and my Masters’ degree truly helped me when I worked for Oregon State Senator Doug Whitsett”.  Senator Whitsett had asked Brandon to be his Legislative Aide for the 2010 Special Session.

Brandon has been a 6 year volunteer firefighter and a 5 year ambulance crew member in Butte Valley and now a volunteer Emergency Medical Responder.  Kathy Farnam, 30 year volunteer EMT commented that “Brandon gets up in the middle of the night for calls to Tennant and all of Butte Valley that require patience and understanding.  Yet he somehow does this with a smile and good humor.  He’s the type of man you can bet your life on.  We do and he does.”

Criss served as Chairman of the Siskiyou County Republican Central Committee and was elected to serve two 2 year terms.  Brandon felt the Central Committee with its many volunteers had a successful time advocating Republican candidates and important issues.

Criss sees one of the most important issues facing Siskiyou County is The Klamath Hydro Settlement Agreement (KHSA) which calls for the removal of four dams on the Klamath River which would require local users of electricity to pay for much of the cost of dam removal and replacement “green energy”, and the 10 million acre Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) which would require federal charters that would re-allocate water resources to interests other than agriculture.

Brandon wrote a petition used by the Central Committee back at the 2009 Siskiyou Golden Fair that obtained over 550 signatures opposing Dam Removal and supporting Tulelake Basin farmers’ rights to water without dam removal.  Those petitions were submitted to the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors in February of 2010.

Criss wrote the main flyer and worked at a booth opposing the KBRA and Dam Removal at the Tulelake-Butte Valley Fair in 2010 just before the successful No vote opposing Dam Removal on Measure G.  Criss explained that “a lot of people visited that booth and many questions were answered about the issue.”  Tulelake and Butte Valley along with Siskiyou County voted against Dam Removal.

Frank Tallerico, retired Siskiyou County Superintendent of Schools and former President of the Siskiyou Water Users Association, applauds Brandon on his efforts of getting the word out that no dam removal is not only critical to Siskiyou County’s agra-business community, but Siskiyou County’s tax rolls and its citizens through rate increases by PP&L.

Criss explained that to champion any issue one needs to be an effective communicator and explain the facts.  “Sadly many people in Eastern Siskiyou County were never told that Shasta Valley Farmers have a senior water right of 60,000 acre feet of water behind Iron-Gate Dam.  When one explains that agriculture down-river will also be impacted with dam removal, it reaches out to all farmers.”

As Republican County Chairmen, Brandon contacted other chairmen throughout the state obtaining a resolution from them opposing dam removal.  In June 2009 he was able to get four county chairmen in the southern part of Congressman Tom McClintock’s district to talk to the congressman about the issue of no dam removal and its importance.  Congressman McClintock has successfully lobbied against dam removal back in Washington D.C..

Asked if he can work with both Democrats and Republicans, Criss pointed out that while working for an Oregon State Senator in 2010 that he worked with staff members of both Republican and Democrat State Senators.

Judi Cochrane a long time volunteer for Democrat candidates and a retired Butte Valley Teacher stated that “Brandon consistently makes well thought-out decisions”.

When asked what he brings to the table, Brandon pulled out a reference letter he carries in his wallet from which his undergraduate college pastor gave him years ago.  It reads in part, “It is my opinion that his personal integrity will be the quality that takes him farthest in life.  He has a deep concern for other people, his moral convictions run deep, and he is consistent in both his words and his deeds.”

Criss understands that right now under current economic times the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors are facing difficult choices, “There is no doubt, this is a difficult job with many employers and I genuinely respect that.”

Brandon has spearheaded an effort in Butte Valley to combine the Community Resource Center and the Library into one building in order to maximize taxpayer money, paid staff, and community volunteers.  He explained that “innovation is needed and we have the people in this county that can pull it off”.

He’s happily married to Kerry Criss and they raise their 2 children in Macdoel, CA.  Anyone interested in Brandon Criss’ candidacy can contact him at 530 859-5548 or brandoncriss22@yahoo.com.

The “Government Savings Litigation Act,” HR 1996, was introduced late last week. CA. Congressman Wally Herger is a cosponsor.  Please see the (below) background information on the bill.

It makes a number of changes to the EAJA in order to raise the bar for legal recovery for environmental activist groups.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like additional information.

Dave Meurer

Deputy District Director

Congressman Wally Herger

280 Hemsted Drive

Suite 105

Redding CA 96002

PHONE: 530.223.5898

FAX:  530.223.5897

E-MAIL:  dave.meurer@mail.house.gov

Government Litigation Savings Act

To reform the Equal Access to Justice Act

Section-by-Section

Section 1:  Short Title

• The bill title is changed to the Government Litigation Savings Act.

Section 2:  Modification of Equal Access to Justice Act Provisions

Subsection (a) deals with agency proceedings located in Title 5, Section 504 of U.S. Code.

• Requires that EAJA filers must show a “direct and personal monetary interest” in the action to be eligible for payments.  Direct and personal interest includes personal injury, property damage, or unpaid agency disbursement.
• Removes the net worth eligibility exemptions granted to 501(c)(3) organizations and Agriculture Cooperatives for access to EAJA funds.  With this provision, any organization regardless of tax status filing for EAJA reimbursements must have a net worth of less than $7 million, and individuals must have a net worth of less than $2 million.
• Establishes a cap of $175 per hour for attorney’s fees, pegged to inflation.  All additional multipliers are removed.
• Requires an agency to disallow EAJA reimbursements if the claimant unreasonably protracted the proceedings or acts in a dilatory manner or in bad faith.
• Requires agencies to reduce reimbursements based on pro bono work.
• Caps total EAJA reimbursements to $200,000 for any single action, and allows no more than 3 EAJA awards in a calendar year.
• Establishes reporting requirements government-wide, and consolidates reporting into the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS).  The report must include an explanation from the agency explaining why its position was not substantially justified.
• Establishes an online, searchable database for funds paid out of EAJA and to whom the funds were paid.  The database is administered by ACUS.
• Requires that funds paid from EAJA in sealed settlement agreements must be included in the online report.

Subsection (b) deals with judicial proceedings located in Title 28, Section 2412(d) of U.S. Code.

• This section does the same things as subsection (a) in terms of eligibility, hourly rates, EAJA reimbursement caps, and tracking and reporting.
• Requires judges to disallow EAJA reimbursements if the claimant unreasonably protracted the final resolution of the matter in controversy, or acts in a dilatory manner or in bad faith.
• Requires that as part of the annual report of payments under EAJA, the Attorney General must also make available to ACUS information about payments made from the Judgment Fund.  Specifically, the total judgment, the amount of fees and other expenses, and the statute under which the plaintiff filed suit.  The final report shall be issued by ACUS.

Section 3: GAO Study

• Requires the GAO to conduct an audit of EAJA payments over the last 15 years.

PNP Comment:  Call your congressessman or woman and tell them the importance of supporting this bill. Rural America, small business and EQUAL RIGHTS depends on this!  — Liz Bowen

“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” –Thomas Paine

READ MORE http://patriotpost.us/edition/2011/05/30/brief/

Why it’s a good thing there’s no obvious GOP front-runner.

Huck and Mitch are out. Mitt and Newt, however, are in. So are Tim Pawlenty, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul. Rick Perry and Rudy Giuliani are maybes—along with Sarah Palin. There are even nonpolitician pols, such as Herman Cain.

These Republicans, like most Republicans, make for a polite bunch. When it comes to presidential nominations, alas, the result is that the GOP can look a lot like the Elks: less a political party than a benevolent and protective order bestowing its nomination on some older, venerable member whose “turn” it is to run. Think Bob Dole in 1996 and John McCain in 2008.

Some of this comes from the view that a hard-fought primary will ultimately make for a weaker presidential candidate. Manifestly that was not the case with Barack Obama. When Mr. Obama entered the race for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, most of his party’s establishment had sided with Hillary Clinton. She even won most of the big states.

Mr. Obama persevered, and handled the attacks from Mrs. Clinton with great aplomb. In many ways it was arguably his toughest race, especially when set against his U.S. Senate race (against Alan Keyes) or the presidential contest against Mr. McCain. Mr. Obama was a stronger presidential candidate for having had to fight his way to the Democratic nomination. There’s a lesson here for would-be Republican nominees.

Today the press corps is having fun writing off the Republican contenders as uninspiring second-raters. The victory of a Democrat in a Republican congressional district in New York—where the main issue was Medicare—has fed this narrative, with many believing the Democrats now have the killer script for 2012. That’s an opportunity for a Republican willing to take it.

Taking advantage of this opportunity requires two things. First, a Republican will need to believe that his party has the right approach to these issues. Whether the issue is Medicare or trade or foreign policy, a Republican who hopes to inspire Americans needs to draw distinctions between his party’s approach and Mr. Obama’s.

Having the right answers, however, is only part of the story. More vital still is something every politician says he has but only few really do: trust that the American people can handle the truth. This, alas, is what makes many weak in the knees. Even those who understand what is necessary often make for most uncertain trumpets out of a fear that the voters will reject them if they speak too honestly.

READ MORE http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303657404576355423394972638.html?mod=WSJ_hps_sections_opinion

LAYOVERS: Lightning ignites smaller blazes; no evacuation plans.

The Associated Press

Published: May 31st, 2011 10:14 AM
Last Modified: May 31st, 2011 10:49 AM

The 300-acre blaze was burning in brisk winds north of the Chatanika River. State forestry division officials said crews were flying tankers and helicopters to drop water and retardant on the blaze, which was threatening cabins on the Chatanika River.

Agency spokesman Pete Buist said Monday evening it was too soon to know what caused the fire. He didn’t know how close the fire was to the nearest recreational cabin, but field reports said some were very close, he said. Buist also didn’t know if any of the cabins were occupied in the remote area.

There were no plans to call for an evacuation of the area, he said.

An older blaze tripled its size to 16,000 acres northeast of Delta Junction after it was driven by wind into the Bear Creek valley and up surrounding mountains, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported Monday.

Crews were trying to prevent the fire from moving toward Volkmar and Healy lakes and the Goodpaster River. They were mostly clearing an existing trail east of the fire, according to Sharon Roesch, a spokeswoman for firefighter managers in the Interior.

Lightning sparked more than a dozen fires near Fairbanks and Tok, where crews responded quickly, Roesch said. Small fires were reported in the Chena Hot Springs Road area east of Fairbanks, including one that forced the evacuation of a family camping near 12 Mile Summit on the Steese Highway.

By Michelle Malkin  •  May 30, 2011 01:53 AM

Taps

READ MORE http://michellemalkin.com/2011/05/30/memorial-day-2011-honoring-the-fallen/

Robert M. Gates gave his final commencement speech as defense secretary Friday. Speaking to the graduates at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Gates, who retires next month, shared his observations about leadership, which he called “a rare and precious commodity.” His thinking on the subject, he said, was honed during his decades-long career, which includes serving under eight presidents.

On Memorial Day, we offer an excerpt:

While many people witness history, those who step forward to serve in a time of crisis have a place in history. As of today, you join the long line of patriots in a noble calling. By your service you will have a chance to leave your mark on history. . . .

As you start your careers as leaders today, I would like to offer some brief thoughts on those qualities. For starters, great leaders must have vision — the ability to get your eyes off your shoelaces at every level of rank and responsibility and see beyond the day-to-day tasks and problems. To be able to look beyond tomorrow and discern a world of possibilities and potential. How do you take any outfit to a higher level of excellence? You must see what others do not or cannot and then be prepared to act on your vision.

An additional quality necessary for leadership is deep conviction. True leadership is a fire in the mind that transforms all who feel its warmth, that transfixes all who see its shining light in the eyes of a man or woman. It is a strength of purpose and belief in a cause that reaches out to others, touches their hearts and makes them eager to follow.

Self-confidence is still another quality of leadership. Not the chest-thumping, strutting egotism we see and read about all the time. Rather, it is the quiet self-assurance that allows a leader to give others both real responsibility and real credit for success. The ability to stand in the shadow and let others receive attention and accolades. A leader is able to make decisions but then delegate and trust others to make things happen. This doesn’t mean turning your back after making a decision and hoping for the best. It does mean trusting in people at the same time you hold them accountable. The bottom line: A self-confident leader doesn’t cast such a large shadow that no one else can grow.

READ MORE http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gates-on-leadership-a-rare-and-precious-commodity/2011/05/27/AGNamIEH_story.html

America can be a superpower

or

a welfare state, but not both.

Robert Gates, who steps down next month after four-plus years at the Pentagon, is making his retirement lap a tutorial on America’s defense spending and security needs. His message is welcome, especially on Memorial Day, and even if he couldn’t always heed it in his time as Secretary of Defense.

In a series of farewell speeches, Mr. Gates has warned against cuts to weapon programs and troop levels that would make America vulnerable in “a complex and unpredictable security environment,” as he said Sunday at Notre Dame. On Tuesday at the American Enterprise Institute, Mr. Gates noted that the U.S. went on “a procurement holiday” in the 1990s, when the Clinton Administration decided to cash in the Cold War peace dividend. The past decade showed that history (and war) didn’t end in 1989.

“It is vitally important to protect the military modernization accounts,” he said, and push ahead with new capabilities, from an air refueling tanker fleet to ballistic missile submarines.

***

America’s role as a global leader depends on its ability to project power. In historical terms, the U.S. spends relatively little on defense today, even after the post-9/11 buildup. This year’s $530 billion budget accounts for 3.5% of GDP, 4.5% when the costs of the Afghan and Iraq wars are included. The U.S. spent, on average, 7.5% of GDP on defense throughout the Cold War, and 6.2% at the height of the Reagan buildup in 1986.

Associated PressIn a series of farewell speeches, Mr. Gates has warned against cuts to weapon programs and troop levels.

But on coming into office, the Obama Administration put the Pentagon on a fiscal diet—even as it foisted new European-sized entitlements on America, starting with $2.6 trillion for ObamaCare. The White House proposed a $553 billion defense budget for 2012, $13 billion below what it projected last year. Through 2016, the Pentagon will see virtually zero growth in spending and will have to whittle down the Army and Marine Corps by 47,000 troops. The White House originally wanted deeper savings of up to $150 billion.

READ MORE http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703779704576074273918974778.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_opinion

Tune in to KSYC 103.9 FM at 9:00am today May 30th for our Memorial Day Tribute.  Our Memorial day tribute features guest speaker, Sheriff Jon Lopey.  Join us as we remember the 150th anniversary of the Civil war.  A brief history of  Memorial Day and authentic Civil War music. The fabric of our country is stained with the blood of our veterans and patriots!  A TIME TO REMEMBER!

And now a photo of the Callahan Post Office in the 130 year-old hotel on Main Street.

I love Callahan,CA. !!!

Remember:  Ceremonies by the American Legion Perry Harris Post #260 will be held at 10 a.m. at the Callahan Cemetery up the hill on Monday, May 30, 2011.  They they will volley their guns again in Etna Cemetery at 11 a.m. and at Fort Jones Cemetery at noon.

A BIG Thank You to our military and veteran men and women.

Thank you for your service!

Editor Liz Bowen