I appreciate your take on the water situation in the Klamath Basin. We’ve proven that it’s possible to farm and ranch and take care of the environment at the same time. Our farmers and ranchers look after the land and water because it is in their best interest to do so, but they need adequate water, when it is available, to get the job done. We had a good water year so they should get their portion of the supply to take care of their crops and make a living. They help feed America.
We consumers have paid billions in fees added on to goods and services over the past 50 years in an effort to save and protect numerous “endangered” species. Why are they still on the “list?” No matter what’s been done it’s never enough. I’ve been hearing about the life cycle of the salmon for years. Its as if the government agencies, some managed by former environment activists, want the problem and not the solution.
We need to be more supportive of the men and women who work so hard to make sure America does not go hungry. As a former cotton farmer, growing fiber to help clothe us is also important.
Thank you
Vaudine Cullins
Dear Editor,
Back in 2016 you published an article called “WEIRD SURPIRSE” regarding a Voodoo Lily that was planted accidently by Marie Smith the previous owner of my home here in Alturas. Four years ago In Alturas, Ca, I bought a home in which many of the owner’s personal effects were left behind. In a kitchen drawer, I discovered a newspaper article named “WEIRD SURPRISE”. It was a picture of the previous owner and a flower. As you do when you have a new home that is established with beautiful flowers and trees, you walk around to see what is growing. I came upon this very strange plant that matched the picture in the article. It was a good two feet tall and it had light green ruffled leaves unfurled into unusual spiral groupings on a single stock. I became very curious to see if this plant would have that same flower bloom as in the article so I watched it grow from the end of spring into summer. The stock was about three feet now but to my disappointment, nothing but leaves were growing. I waited and waited and still no flower. Three years have gone by and the bulb on my plant has split several times and I now have three stocks. With eagerness, I again this year started watching the growth of the plant in hopes to see a bloom. With the hard winter in 2022 and again in 2023, It seemed to be doing that same thing as last year and the year before. It is about three feet high and only has the ruffled leaves. At this point I was worried that this very tropical looking plant would not survive our local harsh climate. Hoping this will not be another disappointing year of no blooms, today I went out to see the plant and out of nowhere I have TWO large protuberances growing from the top of the stock. I had just checked a couple days ago and there was nothing. With my excitement I took a picture and then went back in the house to find that new paper article. Where did I put it?? It’s been 3 years…. Racking my brain I finally remembered where it was. I compared the picture in the article to the latest photo I took. THEY MATCH! In the article the flower is called ‘VOODOO LILY”. Of course I used Google and looked it up. The full name of the flower is “DRACUNCULUS VULGARE VOODOO LILY CORPSE FLOWER ”. Imagine my surprise when I found the reason for the part of the name “CORPSE”. With the blooming of the lily, it exposes a stunning maroon spathe with undulated edges, surrounding a long deeper maroon spike (spadix) that at times appeared almost black. The VOODOO LILY is quite a sight to behold, yet its effect on another sense is what keeps it from being a popular garden plant. For a time period, usually not more than a day, the Voodoo Lily emits an odor resembling a rotting animal corpse. In fact, Google goes as far as to say it is almost identical to the smell of a skunk that has been dead for about a week, at mid-summer temperatures. The two Voodoo Lilies bloomed. One on Thursday and the larger one on Saturday. By mid Saturday the smell was horrible. It smelled as if something died and was left to rot. In the article that we believe is from 2016, the previous owner had stated that she keeps the back door and windows shut. I’M GOING TO TAKE HER ADVICE!!!
Please join us June 20th from 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. for refreshments and snacks at our new location 135 N Main St. in Alturas and meet the new Modoc County Record Owner, TJ Montemer. If you grab your paper early enough we will also be serving coffee and treats from 8 a.m.-11 a.m. at our new location.
Looking Back
113 Years Ago – 1911
IN RIDING about town we were astonished at the building now going on . Six dwellings will be erected in the vicinity of the Grammar School, exclusive of the Baptist parsonage, and will be occupied as soon as completed.
108 Years Ago – 1916
BUZZ JACOBS of Adin now has a and of 22 pieces and is practicing daily. They are engaged to furnish the music for dancing at the Fall River July 4th celebration. For the past month Modoc County has been overrun with horse buyers, or more properly speaking, buyers who want horses and most of them want them for nothing.
103 Years Ago – 1921
THE JUNIPER mine at Hayden Hill continues to give evidence of great richness. Years ago the mine
was a great dividend payer, but the main body of ore was lost through a fault in the wall Miners have
recently picked this up again and there is now literally, millions in sight at the old diggings.
98 Years Ago – 1926
TOURISTS in increasing numbers are finding this section of the Golden State. The count of machines in the auto park a few evenings have showed a total of 21 cars. Auto travel is going to become a big business and improvements to the auto camp should be made. Some kind of shade there is desperately needed.
88 Years Ago – 1936
SURPRISE VALLEY residents have incorporated and adopted bylaws for an electrification corporation and people are now signing up for the service. F. L. Roberts was named president and Dave Grove, secretary-treasurer. F. J. Powers is director.
63 Years Ago – 1961
A DELUXE health spa has opened at the mineral springs east of Cedarville, with17 modern hotel units. . . Harold Powers became the first announced candidate for Governor for the 1962 Election. He is presently Lt. Governor of the state. . . Temperatures reaching 100 degrees in Alturas this week.
48 Years ago – 1976
ALTURAS ELKS are considering the sale of their building for the use as a Modoc museum.
