Shop Bright, Shop Smart MODOC FOOTBALL FACES This COUGARS Holiday THE WEED ATSeason HOMECOMING The Modoc County Vol. 133, No. 38 29
RECORD Alturas, California
December 2025 October 9, 11, 2025
Serving Modoc Since 1892 20 24 Pages
CongressElementary Restores Secure RuralBoost Schools Alturas Students Fire Funding, Delivering Millions to Forest Safety Skills with CAL FIRE
Counties and More Than $1.5 Million to Modoc
Congress has approved schools, roads and resource the Secure Rural Schools projects. He noted that the Reauthorization Act of county will also receive 2025, a bill that restores back payments for Fiscal a key source of funding Year 2024 and Fiscal Year for rural counties and 2025, resolving the lapse settles two years of unpaid that caused uncertainty for allocations. The vote on Dec. local agencies. 9 brought overwhelming “Supervisor Geri Byrne bipartisan support in both and I have worked this chambers and now moves to issue for the last several the President for signature. years, and Congressman The bill provides LaMalfa was the champion payments to counties for that got it over the finish Fiscal Year 2024 and Fiscal line late yesterday. The Cal Fire Lassen-Modoc Unit-Facebook Year 2025 and reauthorizes total impact to Modoc is Prevention Trailer. Theprogram CAL FIRE Lassen the through the Fire $1,567,000 per year split essential Modoc in collaboration end ofUnit, Fiscal Year 2026. They between gained the schools, roads on battery safety, with the Modoc Safe knowledge The Secure RuralFire Schools and resource projects. The strategies, and Council and Alturas evacuation program supports counties bill approved yesterday firepayments preparedness, in Elementary School, recently with significant federal overall will make for the learning about led a vital Fireand Prevention forest acreage supplies addition two fiscaltoyears that are in dangers FYof 2024 playing Week for local the arrears, fundingprogram for education, and fire plus equipment and students. Focusing this with transportation and on public FY 2025 this coming firefighter year’s into understanding safety. theme, Federal“Charge land cannot fiscal year,” Coe said. gear. lapse was Fire Safety: butLithium-Ion be taxed, counties fitness The and national This community-focused Batteries in Your Home,” remain responsible for felt widely. In Fiscal Year the students received serving residents handsand initiative, 2023, the shared Secure byRural FIRE Lassen Modoc on training inside the CAL visitors in and around Schools program delivered those lands. $281 million to more than For Modoc County, 700 counties in 41 states. the legislation brings a When the program expired significant correction to at the end of that year, local budgets. Supervisor counties lost about 63 Ned Coe said the county will percent of their revenue receive about $1,567,000 sharing and were left to each year, divided among cover shortfalls in essential
services. NACo estimates that the halt reduced payments by more than $170 million nationwide for Fiscal Year 2024. Assemblymember Heather Hadwick said the vote is a meaningful demonstration of commitment to rural communities. She noted that nearly 60 percent of all Secure Rural Schools funding allocated to California goes to Assembly District 1 and that every Unit, strong county shows she the represents commitment to public safety depends on these dollars. education, “Secure ensuring Rural younger Schools residents understand funding is not a luxury. It is critical prevention a promise.fire A promise made measures. By teaching these to rural, forested counties crucial at an early across lessons America, and age, the program build especially here inhelps Northern safer communitiesAssembly through California’s increased awareness and District 1. Forty four preparedness. hundred school Residents districts are the relyencouraged on thisto follow support, CAL FIRE Lassen Modoc and nearly 60 percent of California’s SRS funding comes directly to our district. All eleven of the counties that I represent depend on these dollars, all eleven receive it,” Hadwick said. Earlier in the fall, Hadwick
Veterans Day is a time leadership, while event will provide for reflection, gratitude and listings community. This November, Photo by-Matthew Paul Jacob information on parades, and other Modoc Record is preparing ceremonies a special guide dedicated gatherings. Readers will also to honoring the men and find details on organizations women who have served in offering assistance with health care, education and the nation’s armed forces. The guide will feature employment, as well as profiles of local veterans, volunteer opportunities and community events, support donation drives. Community members are resources and ways for residents to get involved. invited to help shape the It will be printed and guide. If you or someone distributed throughout you know has served, Modoc and Lassen counties. Modoc Media encourages Stories will highlight you to submit a photo, resilience, sacrifice and name and years of service.
Submissions can be emailed to info@modocmedia.com. Veterans Day is not only about honoring the past — it’s about recognizing the ongoing contributions of veterans in our neighborhoods, workplaces and families. The guide aims to provide both inspiration and practical resources, ensuring local stories of courage and commitment are remembered and celebrated.
Veterans Day guide to honor local service members
Credit to-Modoc Joint Unified School District Website
traveled to Washington, D.C., alongside rural education groups, county leaders, and students who described how SRS funding influences classrooms and community opportunities. The legislation requires the U.S. Forest Service to issue back payments for Fiscal Year 2024 and Unit onpayments social media for current for Fiscal ongoing and Year 2025safety withintips 45 days community updates.Counties of enactment. Now a beloved annual that already received event, Fire Prevention partial the funding under Week program is something the 25 percent revenue that staff, sharing firefighters, law will receive the difference between that amount and their SRS allocation. Final payments under this authorization are expected in 2027. Counties will have until the end of Fiscal Year 2028 to initiate projects supported
by SRS funds and until the end of Fiscal Year 2029 to obligate those funds. Hadwick said the reauthorization affirms the value of rural regions. “Congress had the chance today to show that rural America matters too. I am so grateful that they approved S. 356, because and look when students they investalike in Secure forward to each Rural Schools, they year— invest an opportunity learn, in our kids, our tocounties connect, and celebrate the and our future,” she said. shared of County responsibility officials said the keeping their restoration of community reliability safe. will guide local planning for the coming year, especially in education and transportation. The federal action also reduces pressure on the Payments in Lieu of Taxes program, which has carried additional strain during the lapse.
Breathtaking View of Surprise Valley/Cedarville