WHAT COMES AFTER THE BUNNY
The Modoc County Vol. 133, No. 5
RECORD Alturas, California
April 24, 2025
Serving Modoc Since 1892
$1.00
20 Pages
Baskets, Bunny Ears and Local Traditions Fill Easter Weekend By: Shaelene Tims Easter weekend brought families together across the county for events big and small. From public hunts to quiet moments at home, people found ways to celebrate the holiday in their own style. The Alturas Lions Club hosted its annual Easter egg hunt, drawing kids and parents to search for colorful eggs and prizes for more than 35 years now. In Fort Bidwell, the community gathered for its own hunt, keeping local traditions alive. Cedarville’s VFW chapter offered both an egg hunt and a shared dinner, giving neighbors a chance to connect over a meal. At Surprise Valley Elementary, staff helped organize egg hunts for preschool and elementary students. The kids scattered across the school grounds, laughing and racing toward plastic eggs tucked into grass and under trees. The Easter Bunny made his rounds, showing up at events and even a few home celebrations, from what we heard. Easter has been observed for centuries as a Christian holiday marking the resurrection of Jesus. Over time, customs like egg hunts and the Easter Bunny became part of the celebration, blending religious and seasonal traditions. No matter how people chose to mark the day, this year’s Easter brought out a shared feeling: making time for others, enjoying spring, and creating memories that will last.
“As long as there are kids in Modoc, the doors will stay open.” By:Shaelene Tims That’s the message Superintendent Tom O’Malley wants to make clear. As debate swirls around the future of the U.S. Department of Education and rural schools across the country brace for funding cuts, Modoc Joint Unified isn’t sounding the alarm. It’s doubling down on what it does best: planning, adapting, and putting students first. O’Malley says Modoc Joint Unified has always weathered changing politics, budget cliffs, and disappearing federal aid. Even if every federal dollar disappeared tomorrow, he insists, the district would still find a way to keep things
running. Inside the district office, Business Manager Nikki Guzman is the one keeping it all in balance. In conversation, Guzman recalls policy details and budget figures the way most people recite their own phone number — clear, confident, and precise. Her command of funding rules and regulations gives the district a steady hand in uncertain times. But that doesn’t mean Modoc Joint isn’t feeling the strain. One of the latest blows came from Washington, when Congress passed its budget and quietly left out the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program — a move that cost the
District roughly $400,000 out of the nearly $1.5 million received by Modoc County. That money would have gone toward one-time, highimpact needs: replacing roofs, buying buses, or updating outdated equipment. O’Malley called it a clear loss for the county, especially since the funds weren’t intended for daily operations but rather to shore up long-deferred priorities. There are state-level pressures too. In 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation requiring all newly purchased school buses in California to be zeroemission by 2035. While the policy aims to reduce
emissions, it poses serious challenges for rural districts like Modoc. After careful research, the district declined related grant funding. The proposed electric buses didn’t perform well in cold weather, couldn’t handle steep mountain passes, and the heaters deplete the batteries
rapidly — a dangerous risk on freezing winter mornings. So while debates continue in Washington and Sacramento, Modoc stays focused on its students. The sentiment is simple: decisions made far away rarely fit the needs of places like this. But as long as there are
kids in Modoc, the schools — and the people behind them — will be here. “Even if every federal dollar disappeared tomorrow, we’d still find a way to keep things running.” — Superintendent Tom O’Malley