Fire meeting was informative and positive

Obviously, last week the biggest concern for us and our neighbors to the east and northeast was the stubborn fire, smoke and thunderstorm weather. The fear of lightning was always present. Last Friday, a meeting was held at the Walker Community Center, at which people spoke from the Great Basin Incident Management Team, US Forest Service, Mono Co. Sheriff, as well as our local fire chief. The fire management team outlined the action of the fire and the problems in dealing with it, as well as what will be done now that the fire has been contained. There will be a reduction in manpower onsite from the over 500 firefighters last week, since that many are no longer needed here and have other fires to address in the West. They also told us that, as of July 21, the costs of the fire totaled $1,829,000. USFS spoke about the road and area closures for public safety until the fire is mopped up and controlled. Chief Tems stressed the need for property owners to recognize and deal with the need for defensible space on their property. It was an informative and positive presentation.

Electricity issues revisited

After last week's column about the glitches in the electrical service we have in the Valley, I received several phone calls and e-mails from readers, which were appreciated. Their approaches to the problem were varied. Everyone seemed to understand that power outages can occur due to our weather and rural area, but they do have a problem with the routinely occurring "flickers" of power. Some long-time residents said that it's better than years ago when the power would be out for days, and they aren't confident that anything can be done to improve it. One caller feels that the best possible solution is to call Sierra Pacific and report every single time the power flickers and we have to reset clocks, etc. She feels that if we all do that (the squeaky wheel, etc.), something might get done. An e-mail suggested getting Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS). These are rechargeable battery-operated devices that keep anything running that is plugged into them when power goes out. They are available at home improvement and office supply stores. These would help anyone who doesn't have an auxiliary generator, in case of a power outage, and they are great for computer protection. They would work for anything that is plugged into them, and you might want to check into it. Overall, the prevailing feeling of those I heard from is frustration that we pay the same rates for less reliable service as those areas which don't experience the "flickers", such as Gardnerville. I've also learned that residents of TRE go through much the same problems that we do. Any further comments are welcome.

Thrift store loss

A familiar face is no longer greeting people at the Walker Thrift Store and Recycle Center. After 12 years of volunteering, Ray Campbell has decided to spend more time at home. Nearly every day, Ray could be found sorting donations, helping with the recycling, and just "being friendly" to all the customers. Almost every Monday he loaded up his trailer for trips to the dump, and every Sunday he would drive by to see if donations had been left outside. Ray will be missed, but they hope he will drop by from time to time to say hello.

Artist alert

The Antelope Valley Artists group is sponsoring a juried art show on Sunday, Nov. 12, in conjunction with the Antelope Valley Women's Club bazaar in Walker. The art show will be at the senior center, with the bazaar at the Community Center across the street. Artists are invited to apply in many categories: fine arts, photography, sculpture, as well as crafts like jewelry, wood, leather and fiber arts. For further information, requirements, and an application, Call Gayle at (530) 495-2901 or write to the Antelope Valley Artists at P.O. Box 75, Coleville, CA 96107.

This and that

n Only six more days for the "How Big Is Big" Walker fishing derby. As of July 22, the Walker General Store said the largest fish reported was 8.2 pounds. The heavy rain above us during the past week or so hasn't helped the river, but the fish are still biting. Also- more fish were planted July 20.

n People had noticed that NayDawg's Restaurant had been closed lately. I happened to see Scott Sherlock, who said it will be closed indefinitely. His wife, Denea, is unable to open it, as she is taking care of her sick mother in San Diego. Any decision about reopening will be made in three to four months, according to Scott.

n Attention science fiction readers: The Walker Thrift Store has received a donation of scads of both hardback and paperback books. Hardbacks are 25 cents and paperbacks are 10 cents. Check it out.

n Don't forget to sign up for the Antelope Valley Survivors team for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life on Aug. 26. Call Tammy at 495-2239 or MaryAnn at 495-2819.

n Lynne Katusich can be reached at lynnekat@gbis.com or (530) 495-2552.