At the meeting last night held in Yreka by the Klamath National Forest on the Roadless Notice of Intent, the Siskiyou Daily News reporter counted over 200 people. With only 43,000 people scattered over the third largest county (Siskiyou) in California on a Monday night football night in the Christmas holiday season for an issue that previously would have been considered obscure, this was an incredible turn out! Our three Siskiyou County chapters of PFUSA had a major hand in providing that turn-out. Our increasing ability to provide such successful responses constantly reinforces that we made a very wise decision in associating ourselves with PFUSA.

When I asked those in the room to stand up who were opposed to the politicization, "fast track" approach, and abandonment of responsible management currently overwhelming the USFS, all but a handful stood up. MESSAGE DELIVERED!

It was clear that people in our county have had it to the gills with the top-down management and vague, open-ended language that characterizes this Administration's Forest Service policy. As this meeting was not greatly attended by the typical timber industry constituency (the loggers are nearly all gone!), this meeting made clear the desperation felt by rural communities over the virtual total disregard exhibited by national planners for the practical, legal and moral obligation the federal government has to our communities.

I hold out great hope that as one of California's few remaining bastions of common sense and dedication to principles of American freedom and government, that Siskiyou County can make substantial contributions to the overall effort to restore these principles.

As I said at PFUSA's national Board of Directors meeting, California has been the origin of a lot of problems. I intend that we play an equal role in fixing this mess.

Ric