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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Pride of ownership/neighborhood pride

OK, I admit I have never had to leave my home due to foreclosure.  I understand, really I do, that this is a heartbreaking, life changing and sad affair, so many people losing their homes.  However, for about the 4th time in the past few years, I have had neighbors move out of their foreclosed home, and just left a disgusting heath hazard of a mess behind.

This time the home is a few doors up from me.  I went by as I saw what appeared to be alot of trash in the driveway.  As I got closer, what I saw was appalling.  These people must have stockpiled garbage for months!  There was a large container (about 3' wide, 6' long, 10' high)that had apparently been FULL of garbage.  It appeared to have been (easily) opened by an animal, I'm guessing a bear. So about 10 bags of old rotting garbage was strewn around.  Lots of medication bottles, full of pills included.  This is just so irresponsible and dangerous.

I like to think I'm a good citizen, so I went home, got a rake and lots of hefty bags, and went back to clean it all up and (hopefully) safely put it back into the container.  I separated out all the recycling (2 large hefty bags).  Sitting on the front porch were many bags of what appeared to be good usable children's clothing.  I brought that home to be washed and delivered to charity, (they had told me weeks ago they were "gone" so I don't think they were coming back for the clothing).  The many toys strewn around the yard were rounded up and placed in a shed.  The former owner was a roofer, and there is LOTS of roofing materials left behind, strewn around the lot.  So sad.

I know it's a difficult situation.  I know these people were not treated fairly by their banks in some cases. I also know that some of these people pulled much of their equity out of their homes, then were shocked when values went down (yes Virginia, values sometimes go down).  Still, it is not the bank you are hurting when you leave such a mess behind.  It is your neighbors that are hurt, and maybe the animals that find and eat garbage, toxins and meds.

So, be a good neighbor.  If you see someone leaving a mess, maybe you can take a few minutes, or even an hour and put it somewhat right.  If we aren't part of the solution, we're part of the problem.
Call me, I'll help. Pride of ownership can extend over to the vacant house next to you, or even the house a block away.  The banks can take a year or more to send someone to clean up.
This is also the 4th time I've taken things into my hands and gathered garbage and gotten rid of things left behind.  Take the initiative, it's your neighborhood.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Fall is here and it is absolutely gorgeous in the Shores

Just a beautiful, peaceful, colorful Fall day here.  My 3 dogs seem to know that summer is over, as they are lazing about at all times, only demanding one walk a day (slowly going into hibernation mode).
Nights and mornings chilly, neighbors are scrambling to gather their winter wood.  Remember Daves's Sierra Firewood if you're short . . . . and Nevada County has a program if you are low income and need assistance with wood.  Volunteers deliver it for you.
NO RAIN PREDICTED FOR THE NEXT 10 DAYS!  GET THOSE FAIR WEATHER CHORES DONE YA'LL.
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Did I mention that Lost Mine Lake is soooooo low because it is being drained?  The Homeowners has decided to drain it a bit and then remove alot of the algae and plant life that is taking over.  Certainly hope this does not affect the eco balance of that sweet little lake.  It sure needs dredging and muck removal in certain parts.  It get's more shallow each summer.  The bottom is trying to reach for the sky.  All ponds try to turn themselves back into a meadow, it's evolution. Hope they can preserve that sweet little lake for us.
 I also personally hope that CSHA would open up the area more for dogs during the "off season."  Since there are not barefoot babes running around, and if owners are responsibly picking up after their pets, I don't see why the dogs can't enjoy it during the non summer months.  Beats the area being completely unused.  Dogs are people too.  When I was managing it for 4 years, I didn't enforce the "no dog" rule during off season.  What do you think?  Worth bringing up at a monthly meeting?
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Womens Club can use some help with the Halloween Party.  Call Jan Guevel if you can help.
Here is the plea I go from her: The local kids really love this party.  Cumon ya'll, help with the festivities.  You'll really enjoy yourself, I promise!

Hello All,
The Halloween Party is Oct. 26th and I have not had many people volunteer to help Linda.  We only have three people stepped  forward to decorate on the 25th, 4 people to bring treats
one for Saturday set-up, two for clean-up after the party and none to help with cookie decorating and games.  COME ON LADIES, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE PLATE.  

--
Jan Guevel
(530) 265-2435
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Don't forget to fill you propane tanks while it's still cheap!  You can take your portable tanks to the Surburban Office for a quick fill too.  They are up by the Grass Valley airport off Loma Rica (off Brunswick).



Sunday, October 13, 2013

Pascale Fusshoeller, YubaNet Founder, Illegally in Nev. County 15 years

Wow, Friday and Saturdays Union paper was covering the story that Pascale has been in the US WOP (with out papers) for 15 years.  She was unfortunately pulled over by CHP for a "Hollywood Stop" as we used to call it and tried to claim she was Susan Levitz, the woman she recently married (they have been a couple for 15 years.  Finally they could marry.)  CHP didn't buy it, and took her in for impersonating another person.  She was charged with a felony.  (Note to self, make a complete stop at stop signs).

You can't travel in the "who know's who/whom" circle around here without knowing Pascale and Susan. Pascale parks herself at every City Hall meeting, Supervisor meeting, gallery opening - garage opening.  I'm sure she knows every Nevada City policeman by his/her first name and how many kids he/she has, every Supervisor and Mayor, Vice Mayor, City Councilman's and pretty much anyone who has any political links.  She does not go by an alias, and she is"hiding" in plain sight at all times.  Her wife, Susan,  is the sister of Bill Levitz, a Gold Country Realtor that lived here in the shores for many years, and sold a good many of the homes here.  Pascale and Susan founded YubaNet.com, an online publication, long before that type of news vehicle was known to most.  It is a great, incisive, informative read, that has the BEST fire news (award winning, in fact) and local news, plus national and world.  Just two very smart chicks running a news site from their lovely home on the Yuba River.  It's a mystery for sure why Pasquale never straightened out her immigration status, since she is a right smart woman.  However, the authorities trying to put her on the next plane back to her country of citizenship, Luxemborg (a small country of 555,000 people near France, so roughly 5 times the population of Nevada County) where she has not lived for 15 years, and has no family or friends. If you know Pascale, and think this needs to be reexamined and she should be allowed a hearing, please send a letter to:
 U.S. Senator BarbaraBoxer. http://www.boxer.senate.gov/en/contact/policycomments.cfm,  Pasquale has been a huge friend to Nevada County, and it would be nice if we returned the favor.  Fewgawdsakes, the woman deserves a hearing at the very least . . . In the meantime, Yubanet.com has gone dark. I'm pretty sure she wasn't plotting to overthrow the government.  The Republican's are already doing that (joke).

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follow up:  Pascale released today 10/16.  Lots of work to do, but at least she's not being treated like a convicted person.  Hopefully she get's a hearing, and the current laws will help.  She is legally married to a US Citizen, and it's not a "green card" marriage, since they've been a couple for 15 years.  My 2cents.

Sewer info again

Nevada County has come up with a solution to reduce the excessive sewer rates many in our community are forced to pay.  We currently pay one of the highest rates in California to operate our existing sewage treatment plant.  Due to the increasing environmental standards that the sewage plant is required to meet, the cost of maintaining it has continued to soar.  Even with all the expense put into the plant, currently it still does not meet standards.  Many of you may have received a letter in the mail from Nevada County describing the project.  In the proposal, the County plans to decommission the existing Cascade Shores Waste water Treatment Facility, and instead direct waste water flows to a new community septic system.  Construction will consist of two 20,000 gallon tanks, a lift station, conveyance force main, motor control center, emergency generator, leachate tanks, and a leach field consisting of buried 7,700 feet of PVC pipe.  The site is on 40 acres bordered by Mountain View Drive, Pasquale Road, and Pacific Close (APN: 38-570-04).  The project has been identified to reduce the cost of operation for the Cascade Shores Residents while improving water quality.  The county has a public comment period that allows all of us to voice any concerns we may have.  Comments must be received by 5 PM on the last day of the comment period, October 28, 2013.  Comments can be sent to David A. Garcia, Jr., Transportation Planner, Nevada County Department of Public Works, 950 Maidu Avenue, Nevada City, CA  95959.  Once the comment period is completed, our County Supervisor, Nate Beason will schedule a meeting with interested homeowners to lay out the plans for the new system and to answer questions from the homeowners who are sewer users and any interested parties who are not.