If a new MP3 player is under your tree this year, Sutter County and the Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency have some recommended listening. As of Dec. 18, a series of interviews of survivors of the Christmas Eve 1955 flood are available as podcast downloads on iTunes.

Those without an MP3 player can listen to the interviews by visiting www.sutterbutteflood.org.

The interviews conducted by former KUBA General Manager Dutch Klemp in the weeks following the disaster are now available for free online, as a result of the due effort by Sutter County to archive stories and images from the Dec. 24, 1955 levee failure that flooded 90 percent of Yuba City and killed 38 Sutter County residents, and an effort by the Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency to educate residents about planned flood control improvements.

“What About the Flood” was a series on KUBA radio featuring live interviews of emergency workers and flood survivors conducted and aired in the first four months of 1956. Mr. Klemp recorded the interviews and the recordings were donated by his family to the Community Memorial Museum of Sutter County.

This year, Sutter County began an effort to archive first person accounts and images from the Christmas Eve flood that was the worst disaster in California since the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco. Moe Howard, a KUBA on-air personality and a volunteer in the archiving project, converted the reel-to-reel analog recordings to a digital format that makes the recordings more accessible through the use of 21st technology.

The interviews detail the mass evacuations, levee sandbagging efforts, bridge and levee collapses, rooftop rescues, and drownings that occurred after record rainfall raised the water in area rivers in the week of Christmas 1955.

Four of the 37 interviews have been posted on the Sutter Butte Flood Control Agency website and the iTunes audio recording site in the past week. People who subscribe to the iTunes podcasts will receive new recordings as they are added to the site. You will find the podcasts on iTunes by typing in "Yuba City flood" or "Sutter Butte Flood Control" in the iTunes search feature.

In addition to the audio recordings from 1956, the 1955 Flood Archive Project has resulted in more than 30 hours of videotaped interviews and donations to the museum of digital copies of color 8 mm and 16 mm film images. Sutter County is in the final phases of editing a documentary that combines the new videotaped interviews, the KUBA audio interviews, still images of the flood, and the moving picture images. When completed, the movie will be available on Comcast and at the Community Memorial Museum and the Sutter County Library.

The Community Memorial Museum is located at 1333 Butte House Road in Yuba City. Regular open hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call the Museum at 822-7141.

When:
Friday, December 18, 2009
3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Where:
Sutter County Veteran's Hall
1425 Veterans Memorial Circle, Yuba City

The FREE H1N1 community vaccination clinic is for ALL medically eligible Sutter County residents.

Please see the attached Press Release  and Flyer. 

• Flu activity is already higher than what is seen during the peak of many regular flu seasons. Almost all of the flu viruses identified this season so far are 2009 H1N1
• All states have placed orders for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, and more orders are expected daily. Vaccine is arriving in thousands of places across the country. Because the vaccine distribution system varies by state, the vaccine situation on the ground may differ from community to community
• The 2009 H1N1 vaccine is taking longer to produce than manufacturers initially expected. Scientists, doctors, and manufacturers are working around the clock to produce this vaccine safely, effectively, and as quickly as the science allows. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through state and local health departments, will continue to make the vaccine available as soon as it comes off the production line
• Clinical trials conducted by the National Institutes of Health and the vaccine manufacturers have shown that the new H1N1 vaccine is both safe and effective
• In the past, flu pandemics have been characterized by multiple waves. Scientists and doctors recommend H1N1 vaccination even if flu activity slows, as it could resume later in the season

Please join us for a discussion on 10/22/2009 between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. at:
Sutter-Yuba Mental Health Services
Valley Oaks Conference Room
1965 Live Oak Blvd., Yuba City, CA 95991

Presenter: Laura Ruble, LCSW, Quality Assurance Officer.

When: Thursday, October 8, 2009 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Where:> Sutter County Health Department Auditorium
1445 Veterans Memorial Circle, Yuba City

Sutter County Public Health would like to remind all of Sutter County residents to take the following precautions NOW to help prevent the spread of the virus:

• Stay home if you get sick and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. If you have a fever, stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever has ended without the use of fever-reducing medications.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. If a tissue is not available, cough into the crook of your elbow.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Sutter County Public Health recommends that you wash your hands for 20 seconds. The use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers is also effective, when soap and water are not available.
• Avoid contact with sick people whenever possible.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Eat right and get plenty of rest.

Sutter County Public Health will be holding 8 flu clinics around the county. These clinics are open to the public and vaccines are available for a low cost. Children must be six months or older to receive flu shots.

Tetanus and pneumonia shots will be available in addition to flu vaccine.

Note: H1N1 vaccine is NOT available at the dates on the schedule.

Please call Sutter County Public Health at 822-7215 for more information.

November 14th, 2009 Cancellation Notice 

A Trail in Modern Day - Photographs by Greg MacGregor

Exhibit runs from September 10 to October 25, 2009 at the Sutter County Memorial Museum.

Program on Saturday, September 26th at 2:00 p.m. with Jim Phililps interpreting Lewis & Clark Expedition member George Drouillard.

"Following in the footsteps of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark as they searched for the Northwest Passage, contemporary photographer Greg MacGregor traces the historic 19th century journey west to see the route as it exists today. Using the Lewis and Clark journals as his guide, MacGregor follows the original path as much as possible and captures vivid images along the way."

A flurry of construction activity at the Tisdale Weir, an important flood control structure in western Sutter County, has generated two awards from the American Public Works Association (APWA).

Both the construction of a new boat ramp along the Sacramento River and the replacement of two bridges, including the one that spans the weir, have won Project of the Year awards from the Sacramento Chapter of APWA.

Sutter County officials will accept the two awards at an APWA luncheon in Sacramento on Friday, August 14.

“These awards reflect the creativity and competency of Sutter County Public Works staff and our partners in the construction of the bridges and the boat ramp,” said Sutter County Board Chairman Jim Whiteaker. “The boat ramp is heavily utilized and is the only free-to-the-public boat ramp on the Sacramento River between Sacramento and Colusa. The new flood control bridge, which was completed way ahead of schedule, takes pressure off the Sacramento River levee system.”

The one-lane, old Tisdale Weir Bridge sitting directly atop the weir was replaced because its deck and superstructure were deteriorating, and because cottonwood trees and other river debris became trapped in the bridge piers and limited the ability of the weir to divert excess river flows. This clogging of the weir caused additional strain on the Sacramento River levee system during high water episodes, increasing the risk of a levee failure and inundation of the Meridian and Robbins basins.

The project to replace the Tisdale Weir Bridge and the nearby Garmire Road Bridge won APWA’s 2009 Environmental Project of the Year Award for its flood control features. The project was completed a year early. MCM Construction Inc. of North Highlands was the primary contractor, and Sutter County hired Vali Cooper & Associates of Sacramento to manage the construction work.

The Tisdale Boat Ramp facility won APWA’s Parks and Trails Project of the Year Award. The Tisdale Boat Ramp replaces a ramp located upstream from Tisdale Weir that silted in and required expensive annual maintenance. PBM Construction of Roseville constructed the 30-foot wide, 160-foot long ramp and the 1.5 acre, 43-vehicle parking lot.

Sutter County was awarded tenth place in the 2009 Digital Counties Surveys for governments with less than 150,000 population. The award recognizes counties across the U.S. that are using information technology (IT) to deliver high quality service to its customers and citizens, typically in the form of superior website development and the conversion of government processes into electronically enabled formats. Sutter County has ranked in the top ten consistently for the past seven years.

The annual study recognizes hard work and innovation by measuring over 100 data points about online service delivery, infrastructure, architecture, and governance models.

This award reflects the important collaboration between County Departments and Information Technology in providing Internet services to County Citizens.

Parents Given Opportunity to Reinstate Driver Licenses Suspended for Child Support Debts.

Child Support Awareness Month celebrates the key role parental emotional and financial support play in the well-being of our children, our most precious resource, helping them to become healthy, productive, and well-adjusted adults. California's Child Support Program provides important services enabling parents to be a positive influence in the lives of their children benefiting all who live and work in California.

In recognition of Child Support Awareness Month the Sutter County Department of Child Support Services is offering parents who have had their driver license suspended for non-payment of child support an opportunity to get it restored. The "Get Back on the Road Again" public awareness program targets parents who have had their license suspended because they did not meet their full child support obligations. The "Get Back on the Road Again" program is available to parents with child support cases in all California counties. This opportunity is available at each local child support agency throughout California during August 2009.

Parents interested in participating in the "Get Back on the Road Again" program may visit the DCSS website at www.childsup.ca.gov for specific dates and county locations or may call toll free 1 (866) 901-3212.

For additional information call Jamie Murray, Director Sutter County Department of Child Support Services (530) 822-7338 x216 or email Jamie.

As part of its flood awareness outreach, Sutter County is seeking oral histories of the 1955 flood to record on videotape.

Forty people drowned at Yuba City when a Feather River levee collapsed just past midnight on Christmas Eve, 1955. Flooding also occurred at Nicolaus, as well as in southern Butte County.

Some 600 helicopter rescues occurred in the hours after the levee breech, and hundreds of people survived by climbing onto cars, buildings and trees.

Sutter County is inviting potential participants to contact Public Information Officer Chuck Smith, at 822-7100, to schedule a time to be interviewed and videotaped. The material will be used in public information outreach programs about flooding and archived for posterity.

Sutter County is also interested in any still or motion pictures of the flood.

Sutter County is preparing its 2009-2010 fiscal year budget, which will include dipping into reserve funds to balance the budget without cuts to services and programs. Delay of the pay increase for DSA members will save the county approximately $314,000 in the 2009-2010 budget year.

“The decision of the DSA to agree to delay implementation of a negotiated pay increase speaks volumes about the integrity of the rank and file men and women who work for the Sheriff’s Department,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Whiteaker. “As they do every day in their dangerous job setting, they are putting the community before themselves and their families. On behalf of Sutter County, I thank them for this additional selfless act.”

The DSA represents sheriff’s deputies, correctional officers, investigators and other law enforcement unit classifications. Members were scheduled to receive a raise of three percent on June 20, based on a bargaining agreement in 2007 which is scheduled to expire at the end of 2009. The DSA and the County agreed to extend the MOU through December of 2010, with the raise delayed until June of 2010.

DSA President John DeVries issued the following statement:

“On the 27th of May, 2009, the County approached the Sutter County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association to request they forgo their upcoming 3 percent cost of living increase. On the 15th of June, the membership of the Sutter County DSA unanimously voted to give up their 2009 cost of living increase of 3 percent. The members took this action not under threat of layoffs or work furloughs, but because it is the right thing to do in today’s economic climate. The members will collectively give back to the county $314,000 as a result of their action. We, the members of the association, are members of the community of Sutter County and we took an oath to protect and serve our community. We saw this as another way to serve our community.”

Refreshments will be served after the program. No reservations are needed. The Community Memorial Museum is located at 1333 Butte House Road in Yuba City. Regular open hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call the Museum at 822-7141.

May 18-22 is National Public Works Week. During the May 19 Board of Supervisors meeting, Public Works Director Doug Gault reported on the busy nature of the various divisions between May 1, 2008 and April 30, 2009:

Road Maintenance
Laid out 9,200 tons of asphalt, 6,400 tons of mixed road base, 355 tons of cold mixed asphalt, and 204 tons of crushed rock; repaired or replaced 1,300 road signs; responded to 113 service requests.

General Services
Processed 942 purchase order requests and 3,124 vehicle and equipment service requests; audited and processed 10,326 fuel transactions; processed 2,200 invoices for fleet operations.

Facilities Maintenance
Responded to 83 emergency calls and 2,565 routine service requests; led the effort on 24 facilities projects.

Public Works Administrative Services
Processed 5,158 invoices for $14.4 million.

Water Resources
Conducted 34 public outreach meetings; responded to 845 calls about flood insurance or flood protection; achieved a 10 percent reduction in flood insurance costs for Sutter County.

Engineering
Processed 98 mapping and development actions (including 950 reimbursable hours for Sutter Pointe); completed 11 facilities projects; developed and contracted the 7.9 miles of work in the $2.8 million, 2008 Road Maintenance Plan.

There is one confirmed case of Swine Flu in a Sutter County resident. That individual had mild symptoms, did not require hospitalization, and is fully recovered.

Each year the American Public Works Association (APWA) sponsors National Public Works Week. National Public Works Week is a means to recognize the efforts of Public Works and help the public understand the many ways this dedicated staff provides service to the community.

The Sutter County Director of Public Works and Public Works Department, located at 1130 Civic Center Blvd., invites employees and the public to participate in National Public Works Week. A department overview and tour of the Engineering Division are scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, 2009 starting at 2:00 p.m. and again on Friday, May 22, 2009, at 9:00 a.m.

The Engineering Division staff will be on hand to provide information on our Annual Road Plan, Facilities Design Projects and Global Positioning System.

The Department will also have displays and provide information on Road and Facilities Maintenance operations on Wednesday, May 20, 2009 from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and again on Friday, May 22, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.

Road Maintenance equipment will be displayed at the County Corporation Yard on 275 Samuel Drive, with personnel on hand to explain the operation and uses of the equipment.

The Facilities Services Division will have a static display at the 146 Garden Highway offices detailing facilities work and projects.

Swine Flu Information
Dr. Michael Kinnison, Public Health Officer
Posted: Monday, April 27, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.

The Sutter County Public Health Department is prepared for the possible outbreak of Swine Flu in our community. Swine Flu is caused by a new virus (H1N1).

There are no reported cases in Sutter County at this time.

There have been 149 deaths attributed to Swine Flu in Mexico. Forty-three non-fatal cases have been confirmed in the United States, including 11 in California. The closest case is in Sacramento County. On Sunday, the U.S. Government declared a National Health Emergency as a precaution and to enable flexibility in moving resources around the country.

While there are no known cases of Swine Flu in Sutter County, there is a potential for the new strain of flu to reach Sutter County. The symptoms of Swine Flu are similar to those of regular flu -- fever, cough, fatigue, lack of appetite.

The Public Health Department has established an Operations Center within the department to monitor the situation and coordinate communication with the public, and with local medical and emergency personnel. Sutter County Public Health officials have been training for the potential of an influenza pandemic for five years.

The current series of flu shots WILL NOT protect anyone from contracting Swine Flu. A vaccine for Swine Flu will take months to become available for mass distribution.

Anti-viral medication is available to mitigate symptoms if your doctor feels it is appropriate for your condition.

If you have recently become ill after travel to or from Mexico (since April 1) or have recently become ill after exposure to someone who has recently traveled to or from Mexico, see your doctor immediately.

Individuals should wash hands frequently, cough into a tissue or their arm, and not into their hands. If they become ill with respiratory symptoms they should stay home and see their health provider.

The following links contain important information about Swine Flu, about how to prevent the spread of flu, and what to do if you contract the flu.

• Centers for Disease Control Swine Flu Information
• Centers for Disease Control: Preventing The Flu
• English/Spanish poster on how to avoid spreading the flu 

A phone bank has been established at the Public Health Department and is operational from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The number is 822-7215.

FREE health and development screenings will be available for all children under the age of five.

• Sutter Co. Sheriffs Department Water Safety Presentation
• Yuba City Fire Department Fire House
• Sutter County Smiles Mobile Dental Clinic
• Sutter County Public Health Mobile Van
• Car Seat Safety information and Inspections

Walk-ins are welcome. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 822-7505.

After six terms in office and 25 years with Sutter County, Treasurer-Tax Collector Jim Stevens says it is time to step away from his job. In a letter to the Board of Supervisors late Wednesday, Mr. Stevens announced his decision to resign effective June 30, 2009 due to health reasons.

“It has been an honor to serves as the Treasurer-Tax Collector for Sutter County,” Mr. Stevens wrote in his letter. “It has been my pleasure to have served with so many dedicated Supervisors, Department Heads, staff, and the Administrator’s Office.

“I would like to extend my sincere wishes towards your continued success in maintaining the fiscal soundness of the county of Sutter and to thank you for the dedication you have displayed in providing your constituents with equitable decisions.”