What’s Next Wineries & for California’s Ivories Job Market PAGE 10 PAGE 5 THE GRIDLEY PROUDLY SERVING OUR AREA SINCEHERALD 1879 FRIDAY • SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 • VOL. 140 NO. 39 SEE City Council: INSIDE Mission Accomplished Tourism and ANNOUNCEMENT Mark Rober Throws Fan Epic Party in Gridley OF TWO WEEK Electric Rates CLOSURE By Seti Long GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Five years ago, Gridley opted not to join the Butte County Tourism Business Improvement District (BCTBID). At Monday's PAGE 4 meeting, the City Council reconsidered. The “Explore Butte County” theme that per- FEMA RESPONSE meates TBID’s marketing is focused on bringing in UPDATE ON tourism and promoting overnight stays in Butte WESTERN County, where local small businesses would bene- WILDFIRES fit from the dollars spent in communities. A 2% tax assessed on local lodg- ing establishments, which is then passed on to their customers, pays for par- ticipation in the TBID. Statistics provided to the council by BCTBID Executive Director Carolyn Denero shares that over the last year, $129 million PAGE 2 Above: Surprise! Mark Rober disguises himself as the Gridley was spent in Butte County High School Bulldog, to surprise a shocked Fletcher. This was by visitors, and $51 of that the first time the two had met in person. Left: Rober and his team were impressed by Gridley and its residents. “This was in retail. The goal is is just like, salt-of-the-earth, heartland America,” Rober says. for TBID to bolster rev- HIGH HOUSING Between Leishman and his neighbors, the crew had access enue for already hard-hit to anything they needed for construction. Rober says, “The COSTS KEEP community that came together for this and for Fletcher ... small businesses in this It's like a new-age, YouTube barn raising!” The men behind area. Proposed marketing the project, pictured left to right: Josh Kelly, Jon Marcu, avenues for Gridley would CALIFORNIANS Mark Rober, Dale Leishman, Jacob Larocca and Science Bob. Photos by Seti Long focus on Graylodge and Gridley’s status as “The POOR record breaking fun, literally, to the Gateway to Butte County.” young man. Gridley has been the only By Seti Long Tumor with Intermediate Rober vowed that if Fletcher made larger city in Butte County Differentiation or PPTID for short. it to his next birthday, he would throw not participating in the GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - In August, the Fletcher and his family uprooted him “the most crazy birthday party TBID - until now. Council community of Gridley was secretly their lives and moved closer to St. ever.” On Fletcher’s birthday week- voted unanimously to invaded by a team of engineers and Jude’s for his treatment, where mom end August 22nd -23rd, wearing a join the TBID for the next scientists, led by former NASA engi- Megan said, “We spent a lot of time Fletchers Army tee and sitting along 10-year cycle. Chamber of neer and current YouTube sensation, in the hospital watching Mark Rober a retaining wall along a driveway in Commerce President Lynne PAGE 7 Mark Rober. videos.” Rober’s YouTube chan- Gridley, Rober says, “SO, here we Spencer and Treasurer The covert mission was two-fold. nel, dedicated to fun, science and are...6 months later.” Cathy Mills, who voiced One: Rober and his crew intended to engineering based experiments, But why Gridley? Rober happens to their support for the organi- PRESORTED STD. zation, feel the decision is a US POSTAGE re-take the Guiness Book of World has millions of viewers worldwide. have ties to our little town in the way win for our community. PAID Records title for the World’s Largest During her son’s battle with the can- of a friendship with the Leishman PERMIT 245 Elephant Toothpaste and Two: Give cerous tumor, Megan reached out to family. Dale and Lynne Leishman had Switching gears, the Gridley, CA 95948 one of Robers biggest fans a birthday Rober, asking if he’d be willing to extended the use of their property Council then looked at a that he would never forget. contact Fletcher. “Absolutely” was to Rober if the need for space continuing source of con- Change Service Requested A little over a year ago, twelve year Rober’s response and the surprise ever arose for something “BIG”. tention for the community: old Fletcher Rollinson was diagnosed video call between Rober and super- Well, it had and for 5 days, the the city electric utility rates. with an extremely rare form of brain fan -Fletcher that followed would Leishman property became The council has been under tumor called Pineal Parenchymal inspire Rober to dedicate a day of Continued on page 3 fire on social media and by community members since it proposed to raise utility rates and other rates on the master fee’s schedule dur- ing its June 20-21 budget discussions. Gridley Rotary At Monday's meeting, City Administrator Paul Eckert presented a plan to the Council, wherein the City could effectively Cleans Up reduce rates to relieve some of the pressure on its resi- By Seti Long dents. Electric utility rate commodity charge would GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Gridley Rotarians hit the be reduced by 3% if the fol- Highway early Saturday morning as part of lowing actions were taken: their yearly cleanup project in coordination with Reduce the annual trans- Adopt-A-Highway. fer from the Electric Fund Members of our local Rotary Club targeted areas to the General Fund by along Hwy 99 that are notorious for the accumu- $200,000; Reduce Utility lation of garbage - between Township Road and Billing staff by one full- Evans Reimer Road to the South and between time position resulting in Ford Ave and Ord Ranch Road to the North. an estimated annual util- Taking COVID precautions, the crews split ity savings of $66,000. forces and were able to bag and tag multiple bags Additionally, replace- of debris for removal. Thanks to this service by ment of an Electric Line Ladies of Rotary hard at work: Pictured left to right: Marie Wheeler, Bobbi Domin, Lisa Van De Hey, Lynne Spencer. Not pictured: Bob Bowling, Ravie Rotary, Gridley can welcome drivers into town Worker has been delayed Aujla, and Jack Slota. Photo by Seti Long with cleaner streets and pride. H Continued on page 2 www.GridleyHerald.com 2 FRIDAY» SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 » THE GRIDLEY HERALD The New Pi-Line FEMA Response Update land in California. Taking science related to natural on Western Wildfires on the issue of undoing this, resources and actually cre- and other, policy mistake ates policies that reflect Federal Emergency assistance. will take time and money. scientific research, not the Management Agency 227,000 liters of bottled water; 208,896 One of the obstacles to emotionally driven hopes meals; 54,735 blankets; 6,092 cots; reform is the infrastruc- of politically active spe- WASHINGTON, DC (MPG) - FEMA has Hygiene kits, commonly used shelter ture of sawmills and entire cial interests. Science tells obligated more than $18 million in mis- items and 27 generators are also staged communities that built up us that grazing helps pro- sion assignments and is processing 61 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in around them no longer tect watersheds and forests; active resource requests in support of Washington. exists in many places - they science tells us logging and Oregon and California. FEMA’s Disaster 493 FEMA responders have been were shuttered by law- controlled burns have a role Survivor Assistance teams are on the deployed in support of western wildfires. suits in the 1990’s related to play in saving forests ground in California supporting survivor Do not wait for a disaster recovery cen- The new Pi-Line to spotted owl protec- from catastrophic destruc- registrations and inquiries. Two Incident ter or other fixed location to register for Honoring Publisher tions. Yes the climate does tion. Public policy should Management Assistance Teams have assistance. W.D. Burleson change, so why do we see align with reality. When it been deployed to Oregon and one team Save your receipts and take photos By Josh F.W. Cook so little progress in building does not - we see disasters is deployed to California to support state before you begin the clean-up process. dams and changing laws like the ones we have now. operations. FEMA has also deployed Documentation of losses will help FEMA The smoke that fills the around forest, water and These restorative activities Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) teams process your claim; Disaster assistance air reeks of fifty years of wildlife management? If would also produce jobs and along with other specialized teams from may include grants for temporary bad government policy. the government has prom- restore small communities. federal partners to provide support, housing and home repairs, low-cost ised water to millions of Suppressing forest fires on *** and one Mobile Emergency Response loans to cover uninsured property losses Federal lands has created a people and they know we Support (MERS) unit is deployed to and other programs to help individuals are going to have less rain Please donate to the Red massive fuel load in the for- Cross, it is the most effi- Oregon, providing communications and business owners recover from the ests. In times past the native and snow, would you not support for command and control of fed- effects of the disaster. make adjustments for that? cient way to get people help people would do controlled in times like these. eral resources in support of the Incident Public safety is the No.1 priority: resi- burns to reduce the under- Perhaps we need a climate Support and US&R Teams.