Once again the Sierra County Tobacco Use Reduction Program and Sierra County Friday Night Live conducted an annual Youth Tobacco Purchase Survey (YTPS) of all retailers in Sierra County selling tobacco products.  This year 4 of the 7 stores surveyed sold tobacco products to minors.  

YTPS is used as a means of assisting tobacco retailers by informing them whether or not employees are following proper procedure and guidelines for requesting identification of underage tobacco purchasers. A sales clerk who correctly follows the proper procedures and guidelines for requesting identification during the purchase of tobacco products are assets to our communities. They help in reducing illegal tobacco sales to minors and help in protecting our youth from the dangers of tobacco use.

Sheriff John Evans and Laurie Marsh, Health Educator, visited all of the retailers indicating whether or not a sale was made to a minor. During the visit they let the store owner or manager know that the Tobacco Use Reduction Program offers free Tobacco Retailer Training to merchants and their employees. The visits were made at the suggestion of the Sierra County Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board/Tobacco Coalition.

Friday Night Live and the Sierra County Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board/Tobacco Coalition are looking to find practical solutions to the problem of illegal tobacco sales to minors in our communities because the sales rate to minors has increased over the last three years.  If you would like to participate in this process, please call 993-6745 or email prevention@sierracounty.ws.

The Auburn Journal just published a great piece featuring our beautiful area, highlighting  Herrington's Resort and Sierra City. The lead in reads (copied verbatim from Auburn Journal):

"Sierra City--The area around Downieville is a great place to get away, to really get away, to literally get away.

If you have a vacation in mind that really isn’t a vacation at all undefined you know, cell phone in hand, texting and talking away, keeping updated with the office on the laptop undefined then Sierra City isn’t for you because cell phone service and Internet connections are as rare as people and traffic in these parts."

Check it out!

Very exciting-- Big Springs Gardens gets a great plug on Channel Fox 40 news "Know Your Neighbor" segment. They also plug Sierra City and explains where it is for all those people who think Gold Country and Highway 49 is only south of the I-80.

It's a great piece, check it out (and share!): Video: Darren Peck talks about the Big Spring Gardens in the Sierra Nevada during his "Know Your Neighbor" segment.

»Big Springs Gardens' website

Congratulations to Sierra County and Sierra County Chamber President Kathy Breed as well as to those that contributed to make this year's exhibit a gold medal winner and recipient of special award Best Use of Artifacts.

What in the world is a CSA? It stands for Community Supported Agriculture -- the local community buys shares in a small farm and get deliveries of veggies in return for their investment. Considering current interest rates and the volatile stock market, I consider this  a very well performing investment!

The local CSA is the Ledson Family Farm in Camptonville, and they still have a few shares available. They deliver in Downieville and Sierra City along their way over to Truckee area. I think if people in Sierraville want in they'll deliver there too as it's along their driving route.

The first delivery happened early this year thanks to our incredible weather, and last week's bag was nothing but heaping amounts of goodness. Their food is grown sustainably, eco-friendly, will all certified organic fertilizers and soil. Farm fresh is good for you!

If interested, check out their program on their site: http://soilstock.com or check out their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SoilStock.Ledsons.Family.CSA.Farm
 
I can strongly recommend it!

The Gold Country Broadband Consortium (GCBC) held a Kickoff Workshop on the topic of bringing broadband to our area.

Their measure of success is the number of broadband connections made, and every connection counts. So they want to help make those connections, but they know they can't connect any of those they don't know about. 

So, of you are having problems getting broadband where you live, or know someone else who does, please, let them know of your needs-- for you or for anyone you know. 

Send GCBC an email directly (include the physical address for where internet is needed - send to sandy@sedcorp.biz) and encourage others in need to do so, too. 

Help GCBC to help you and your neighbors by volunteering to be a neighborhood champion they can work with to facilitate a meeting in your community.  As they capture our collective commitment to adopt broadband service as soon as it is available, they can work with the ISPs to develop and fund the projects to deliver that service. 

As an example of success of facilitating the connection of consumer demand to ISP supply, GCBC want to share the story of Brenda. They received a plea for help from Brenda Peters who lives near Colfax.  They quickly forwarded her contact information to an ISP known to serve her area.  They got an email from Brenda last week gushing with pleasure over her new broadband service (her email said she'd had it for a whole twenty minutes when she sent us her note!). Now, they may not be able to get everyone connected as quickly as Brenda was, but if they don't know of people who needs it, they won't be able to help at all.

Sierra Economic Development Corporation
560 Wall Street, Suite F
Auburn, CA 95603
530.823.4703
www.sedcorp.biz

CHANGES!!!  The DC Circuit Court of Appeals has temporarily enjoined the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) rule requiring the posting of employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act.

As of April 17, 2012, the NLRB posting requirement was suspended until further notice due to federal court cases.  If you have posted the NLRB Employee Rights poster, you should remove it.

For more information: http://www.nlrb.gov/poster

ORIGINAL POST:
As a valued business client of Alliance for Workforce Development, Inc., (AFWD) would like to remind you of an important Labor Law Posting Requirement Update:

As of April 30, 2012, most private sector employers will be required to post a notice advising employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act. The notice should be posted in a conspicuous place, where other notifications of workplace rights and employer rules and policies are posted.

To download/print the poster at no cost, click here »

Save the Date: Don't Miss This Free Event!

Sierra Nevada Geotourism Celebration
"The New Face of Travel"

When: Friday, May 18 2012, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Where: California State Railroad Museum, Sacramento
Click here to RSVP

Join fellow Sierra residents, community members and tourism officials to commemorate 3,000 square miles of local culture, iconic beauty, and adventure that distinguishes the unique character of the Sierra Nevada. 

The Sierra Nevada Geotourism Celebration will feature:
    •    Explore the California State Railroad Museum
    •    Taste Sierra Nevada wines
    •    Enjoy delicious locally grown hors d'oeuvres
    •    Meet your neighbors and "Sierra-Made entrepreneurs"
    •    Connect and engage at the Sierra Nevada Business Center  
    •    Learn about the future of Sierra Nevada Geotourism
    •    Pick up your free SNGT print maps, stickers and promotional items!!  
 
This event is to thank everyone who participated in the Sierra Nevada Geotourism Project, and recognize all that we have accomplished since 2009. We would like to acknowledge your contributions to the project as well as the work of the Geocouncils, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Sierra Business Council and National Geographic.

Local Luthier, Mike Kelly, has been woodworking all of his life and began making guitars about 9 years ago. He makes about five or six guitars a year and enjoys it a lot. “I was extremely lucky to find Brandt Larsen, a long time luthier and instrument builder, who patiently and generously shared his knowledge, skills, and encouragement while teaching me this very rewarding craft,” says Mike. “I’m happy to say that several local musicians play guitars that I have built; Lynn Zanetta,  Mark Daigle, Paul Douville, B.J. Jordan, and my teacher, Brandt Larsen.”  

The students of Loyalton and Downieville Schools are also lucky because Mike has donated one of these fine instruments to the Sierra County Arts Council’s, Artist in School Program raffle/drawing. In the wake of drastic cutbacks to arts education, the Artists in Schools Program brings local artists and musicians into our schools to teach our students. “This is a parlor size, steel string guitar. The back and sides are made of Indian Rosewood. The top is Sitka Spruce. The bridge and fingerboard are Ebony.  The neck is Mahogany,” says Mike. 

This guitar was recently seen raising funds at the Loyalton School’s annual Christmas show where students from Randy Prichard’s Artists in Schools music program performed.  “I love my guitar,” says local musician, B.J. Jordan. “I’ve been playing guitar since I was 12 years old and have never owned a guitar that sounds and plays as beautifully as this.  There is so much hidden talent in Sierra County. I can’t believe that we have guitars of this quality being made locally.”

To catch the sound of Mike’s guitars, come to the Yuba Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 7:30pm right after the Cabin Fever Spaghetti Feed in Downieville. Local musicians will be playing Mike’s guitars at Home Grown Talent open mic, sponsored by the Sierra County Arts Council. You may also purchase raffle/drawing tickets and the chance to win this beautiful handmade guitar at this event.

If you are interested in owning one of Mike’s guitars you may contact him at (530) 289-3588 or email at  katie@gardenfok.com. Information on Sierra County Arts Council events and the guitar raffle/drawing may be found on the Council’s website, www.sierracountyartscouncil.org, email info@sierracountyartscouncil.org or by calling (530)289-9822. A special thank you to Mike Kelly for donating this guitar to raise funds to keep art and music education in our schools.