Let the Spring Sports Begin. The Modoc County Vol. 132, No. 52
RECORD Alturas, California
March 20, 2025
Serving Modoc Since 1892
$1.00
14 Pages
Alturas Man Ordered to Trial for 2023 Child Sex Abuse Charges, Remains Free Sheriff criticizes judge’s decision; residents voice concern By: Shaelene Tims A judge ordered Abel Anastasio to stand trial on multiple felony charges involving the sexual abuse of a child following a preliminary hearing held Tuesday. Anastasio, who has remained free under supervision since the charges were initially filed in 2023, faces counts of sexual penetration of a child, forcible lewd acts upon a child, and continuous sexual abuse of a child. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 46 years in state prison and would be required to register as a sex offender
for life. Modoc County Sheriff Tex Dowdy strongly criticized the court’s decision to allow Anastasio to remain out of custody while awaiting trial. “I am deeply concerned and disappointed that someone facing such serious accusations remains free in our community,” Dowdy said. “We had clear probable cause—enough for him to answer these charges. I asked the District Attorney if every effort was made to keep him in custody. How do we not keep this guy in custody?” Dowdy added, “We’re not one of those counties dealing with overcrowding. There is
room for him in jail. We would have made room.” The Modoc County District Attorney’s Office noted the case was first filed before District Attorney Nina Salerno took office, and thus did not comment on the specific conditions of Anastasio’s release. Anastasio has remained under supervision since his initial arraignment. The judge’s decision to keep Anastasio out of custody has unsettled some residents. According to City-Data. com, there are currently more than 40 registered sex offenders residing in the area. “I don’t understand how he’s not in jail,” said one Alturas resident, who
requested anonymity. “These are serious charges. If we’re not protecting our kids, what are we doing?” Anastasio is the father of a former Alturas resident previously involved in a separate criminal case concerning the suspicious death of his own child. Authorities stated there is no known connection between the two cases. The case remains active, and Anastasio is scheduled to return to court at a future date yet to be announced. The district attorney’s office also clarified that Judge Wendy Dier did not preside over Tuesday’s preliminary hearing.
Photo from Modoc County Sheriffs Office
Modoc County Ranchers Face Major Hurdle: No Local Meat Processing Facility Modoc County ranchers are the leaders in the state of California in organic beef production but are faced with the extreme dilemma of no local facility to process the beef. Whether for personal use or commercial sale, all slaughter and processing must take place in Oregon or Reno, Nevada. This lack of infrastructure increases the cost of doing business, creates pressure on local ranchers, and severely hinders market opportunities, leaving the ranchers with few options. The issue is not merely inconvenient. USDA regulation requires the facility to have onsite the services of a
federal inspector on a full-time basis if it is to gain approval from the federal government. With the rural location of Modoc County and the surrounding area, for that matter, it is not feasible to fill that position, making it difficult to establish a USDA-certified facility. Without the certification, local ranchers are not permitted to sell their beef in retail stores, so they are relegated to utilizing distant processors or selling the animals whole to consumers. Even in nearby Klamath Falls, Oregon, the existing meat processing facility is not USDA-certified and is thus restricted to processing the meat for
personal use or animals to be sold “on the hoof,” but not to make federally approved cuts to sell more broadly. Even small-scale cattle and sheep raisers are faced with logistics and cost issues. Transporting cattle or sheep over long distances to the processor is stressful to the animals and expensive in fuel and labor. Fuel price increases and limited processing slots at existing facilities make matters worse. Other regions have tested alternative models, such as mobile slaughter units and stateinspected facilities, to bypass these challenges. Some ranchers have built their own USDA-certified mobile harvest facilities
to handle processing on-site, eliminating the need for long-distance transportation. While this approach offers a solution, it requires significant investment, regulatory approval, and operational expertise. Breaking this bottleneck will require collaboration between ranchers, policymakers, and agricultural groups to implement effective strategies. Key areas of effort include local infrastructure investment, workforce development to attract and retain USDA inspectors, and policy adjustments to expand opportunities to market state-inspected meats to local consumers. The cattle industry is
the lifeblood of Modoc County’s economy, but the lack of local processing generates higher costs and fewer opportunities
for ranchers. Investment in local efforts is the solution to preserve the region’s agricultural heritage.
Federal Education Cuts Raise Questions for Local Schools By Staff Writer As the federal government moves to downsize the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), rural communities like Modoc County could see changes to school funding and programs. While supporters argue that eliminating the department will return control to states and reduce bureaucracy, others worry about the potential impact on schools that rely on federal funding. Modoc County schools receive financial support from programs such as Title I, which helps low-income students, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which provides funding for special education services. With proposed reductions in federal
education funding, local districts may need to reassess resources for students who rely on these programs. Special education funding is a particular concern. Some educators believe cuts could make it more difficult to provide services, while others see an opportunity to reassess how resources are allocated. “We dedicate a significant amount of time to developing Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for our students with special needs to ensure they receive the best possible learning experience,” said Modoc Joint Unified School District Superintendent Tom O’Malley. “For my district, federal oversight often hinders rather than helps this important
work. My hope is that any money saved by reducing the size of the Department of Education will be redirected to better support students with special needs.” Teacher shortages, already a challenge in rural areas, could be another consequence. Federal funding supports programs that help educators obtain credentials and fill positions in hard-to-staff districts. Without this support, rural schools may struggle to hire and retain teachers, potentially leading to larger class sizes or school closures. At the same time, some see benefits in shifting control away from Washington, D.C. A retired principal in New York described the DOE as an unnecessary
bureaucracy, arguing that local communities should have more authority over education decisions. Others believe that reducing federal oversight will allow states to allocate resources
more effectively based on their own priorities. For now, the long-term effects of DOE downsizing remain unclear. While some schools could benefit from greater state and local control,
others may face financial shortfalls that impact students and staff. As changes unfold, Modoc County school officials will need to evaluate how best to adapt to a shifting education landscape.