E L A S D R A Y SV , MAP ON PAGE 15
9 AM SATURDAY, STARTING AT
The Modoc County
RECORD
Vol. 133, No. 27
Alturas, California
September 25, 2025
Serving Modoc Since 1892 20 Pages
Forest health project provides advanced training for inter-tribal trainees By Allayana MartinezDarrow The Taktokeewa Forest Health Project is moving forward on schedule, with a technical forestry team of inter-tribal trainees employed by Lomakatsi Restoration Project actively marking an ecologically based commercial thinning prescription across 1,000 strategic acres to improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk, enhance
wildlife habitat, and bolster ecocultural resources. Located about 10 miles southeast of Alturas— one of the original village sites of the Kosealekte Band of the AjumawiAtsuge Nation (federally recognized as the Pit River Tribe)—the Taktokeewa Project is a collaboration between Lomakatsi, the Kosealekte Band, and the Modoc National Forest. The partners are improving
The Lomakatsi timber marking team from left: Manuelita Jacobs, Liam Cislo, Ricky McGarva, Catalina Solarsano, Chris Brown, Megan Abeyta, Izlee Brown, Gabe First Raised, Josh Budziak, Seneca Hescock, and John Cymore.
forest conditions within a 3,110-acre project area over the next two years, beginning with the first timber thinning project in summer of 2026. The ecological forestry approach treats the forest as a complex, interconnected ecosystem, with restoration prescriptions designed to maintain the integrity, diversity, and functionality Continue on page 14
Chris Brown, a citizen of the Kosealekte Band of the Pit River Tribe, uses marking paint to indicate a leave tree that will not be cut as part of the restoration treatment.
Catalina Solarsano, a citizen of The Klamath Tribes, uses marking paint to indicate a leave tree that will not be cut as part of the restoration treatment.
Izlee Brown, a citizen of the Kosealekte Band of the Pit River Tribe, training with John Cymore, Lomakatsi’s Restoration Operations Supervisor.
SVHCD Skilled Nursing Facility Receives 5 Star Medicare Rating A five-star accomplishment. The skilled nursing facility in Surprise Valley Health Care District (SVHCD) in Cedarville was given a five-star rating on Medicare.gov in midAugust, a measure that helps consumers compare providers by evaluating three important sources.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) FiveStar Quality Rating System measures health inspections, staffing and quality measures of each nursing home, hospital or facility in its system. While each rating receives its own star-rating, facilities receive an overall rating as well.
For the Surprise Valley Community Health Care District, this is an accomplishment that signifies excellent performance and a benchmark of high quality care. “Congratulations to Surprise Valley Staff and District on their 5 STAR RATING from
CMS. This is a pretty amazing feat we’ve all accomplished! BE PROUD SVHCD & keep up the good, compassionate, dedicated work you’ve been doing. We all notice and appreciate you,” said SVHCD in a post on Facebook. Frances Hannah, an administrator of the hospital, Continue on page 17