Greenville Rising: April 8 – Dollar General to reopen; Riley’s rebuilding
By Meg Upton
Daffodils are sprouting up everywhere along with patches of green growth. It’s spring this week in Indian Valley (it’s supposed to snow next week though—which is also what constitutes spring in Indian Valley).
The latest Plumas Wildlife Recovery newsletter touts debris removal from 546 of the 677 properties enrolled in the state program with 225 returned to property owners (the alternate program has done 55 of the 114 properties with 37 returned). This feels like Indian Valley’s spring cleaning is happening and our world really is moving forward.
Except of course for utilities. I get ready for my evenings and mornings around rushing to get in any household chores or showers before possible power outages. Welcome to Indian Valley. I try and make all important phone calls and Internet transactions like bill paying when I’m in Quincy before I come home to Greenville. I’m both always ready and never ready at the same time.
I’m sure I’m not alone in this frustration. If we had a watering hole or a post office in Greenville I know what the conversations would be.
“So who is your Internet provider? Can you get online?”
“I signed up for the PG&E alerts but I’m not getting them because my phone isn’t working. Or maybe they aren’t sending them. Who knows?”
This would be followed by universal condemnation of a certain communications company.
Along with daffodils signaling spring is the many meetings and events also sprouting up on the horizon. The first of happens this evening.
Give yourself extra time to get to Quincy; we are back to sitting on hwy 89 for long stretches of morning commutes.
Dixie Fire Collaborative
The Dixie Fire Collaborative is hosting a meeting and dinner this evening, Friday, April 8. The DFC hired a consultant team to being a
“Planning Process in support of community rebuilding.” At 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. this evening at the Greenville Elementary School cafeteria (or on zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsd-GgrzopGNX-VEhHuOdrrqHJhQQgoZCt). This will be followed by a community dinner with live local music from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the same location.
Then on Saturday afternoon, April 9 there will be a “Community Listening Session” where community members can sound off on what they perceive as the needs of the community in the same location from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. followed by small group discussions from 2:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. More information can be found on the DFC website https://www.dixiefirecollaborative.org/.
Brick Recovery Project
On April 15 to 17, Team Rubicon (a self-described ‘veteran powered international disaster response non-profit organization) is attempting to salvage bricks in downtown Greenville for reuse in rebuilding Greenville. They are looking for volunteers to stack bricks. The meeting place for this effort is also Greenville Elementary School on Friday at 9 a.m. and on Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. Volunteers must be at least 18, comfortable with signing a liability waiver. Lunch and drinks are provided. Volunteers just need to show up on the morning. Additional info is in the Plumas Wildlife Recovery newsletter.
Dollar General
Putting an end to all sorts of rumors about what the fire defying Dollar General building would be used for, Dollar General has posted on social media that it is re-opening and looking to hire people for its Greenville store. They will be interviewing potential workers on Tuesday, April 12 and Saturday, April 16 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the site of the store in Greenville or Wednesday, April 13 and Sunday, April 17 at the Chester Dollar General located at 376 Main St. More info is online at Dg.com/careers. Those applying online are instructed to apply for the Chester location and put “Greenville” in the availability section of the application.
County Fair
John Steffanic, the county fair manager has proposed a new idea:
“The Plumas Sierra County Fairgrounds is proposing the creation of the Indian Valley Innovation Hub. In a nutshell, the goal is to organize a group of people to gather resources in the form of mentors, experts, tools, equipment, marketing, distribution, financing and branding to encourage the people in Indian Valley to innovate. What kind of products, or services can be developed with the knowledge and raw materials available right now in that community? Does the presence of burnt timber or small diameter trees present an opportunity for home accents, furniture or frames? Are there crops that grow especially well in Indian Valley that can be packaged, branded and sold to restaurants in North Tahoe? Those might be the stupid ideas! But every idea is worth looking at.”
To this end there are two meetings scheduled to ‘explore’ the concept Steffanic is championing. One on Wednesday, April 13 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and the other on April 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. both at what has become our new town hall center, Greenville Elementary School cafeteria.
Rebuilding Greenville Resource Center & Crescent Country
The center had its grand opening last Saturday along with Crescent Country’s re-opening and the return of its Saturday markets (with 26 vendors this time around). Crescent Mills effectively became a giant block party of activity last weekend.
The RGRC reports that: “The new RGRC offers a comfortable and free meeting space for groups with up to 15 people. To reserve the space, call (530) 283-2735, ext 833, or email [email protected] The site also has a computer lab available for anyone needing to use WiFi, a computer, or a scanner or copier.
The center will soon function as a job resource center too with “An area dedicated to helping people impacted by the Dixie Fire to find employment. Staff is working on creating a job board for employers to post local opportunities.”
RGRC and PRS would like to thank all the people who helped transition the center into this new location by volunteering their time, special skills, and labor and by donating furniture and other useful items. The hard work and support of so many are greatly appreciated and are already helping people in the disaster recovery process. Specifically, RGRC and PRS would like to acknowledge and thank the following: Lisa Forcino, Russell Allen, Larry Nelson, Terry Richmond, Bev Halliday Hardesty, Mavis Somers, Mark Swaim, Josh and Heidi Working, Melissa McCray and Ben Wilhoit, Ken and Jackie Johnson, Barbara Tanner, Jacquie Cordova, Alan Nilsby, Pete Neer, Mike Banchio, Sherilyn Schwartz, Margie Joseph, Lance North, Marlene Mullen, Charles Salisbury, Christine Clark, Anthony Washoe, Richie Williamson, Michael Washoe, David Washoe, Nancy and Jon Francine, Nancy and Chuck Cortesi, Rosanna Chavez, and Angel, Beverly and Scott Boley. Additionally, a big ‘thank-you’ goes out to volunteer co-chairs of the Dixie Fire Collaborative Sue Weber and Clint Koble for their dedication in helping RGRC to help people recover.
For all unmet needs, donations, and questions about RGRC, contact Coordinator Lara Wheeler via text (preferred method of communication) at (530) 778-4309, phone at (530) 283-2735, x833, or fax at (530) 778-4309.
Speaking of Fire: Youth Voices
Pachuca Productions collaboration with Plumas Arts, the Dixie Fire Stories Project is still happening on May 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mark your calendar to view art work and listen to stories of survival. Do you have a story or art work to share with the community on that day? If so contact me at [email protected]for more information and a slot in our storytelling community healing event.
As usual, if you have an announcement for us, please send it to [email protected] and we will be glad to put it in the column.
