By Jeremy Couso
Publisher, SusanvilleStuff
Welcome to the very first issue of my new weekly SusanvilleStuff column, Dispatches from the Lucky Land of Lassen. A feature which is most likely wholly unnecessary, yet oddly has been something a lot of people suggested I should write over the years.
Why? I am not sure. lol
I think I have about three good columns in me… I look at our SusanvilleStuff writers, like Shelley and Terra and Mom and I have no idea how they come up with interesting things to write about each week. I am fairly certain it takes discipline and determination… ask me in ten years how that worked out for me.
What is this column about? I think it’s about the place where we live, and the people who live here. The things we do, the way we think. The little things that make us unique.
We’ll talk about Susanville’s past and future. Because it is important.
A lot of the impetus behind my writing this column comes from wanting people in the rest of the world to see Susanville the way I see it. Through my lens.
Lassen County is a wonderful place and sometimes even the people who live here don’t realize how much better it is than the rest of the world.
We average just over 30,000 unique visitors each month here at SusanvilleStuff, and a sizable portion of our readers live elsewhere. There are a lot of people who used to live here, who still love Susanville, who read SusanvilleStuff in far off places around the world. This is for them too. For Lisa in Washington, for Zak in Reno… people who still want to know what is going on around town.
I don’t know… the more I write the more I think that maybe this is better left to someone with more to say. Someone with some eloquence. Someone with style.
You know what the tough thing is? As Publisher, Editor and Author it means if I do a bad job, I’m either going to have to fire myself or promote myself for my own incompetence.
Mrs. Couso and I were lucky enough to snag an invitation to the new Side Iron BBQ at the Pioneer Saloon last Friday night, for their big pre-opening party. It was nice to see lights on and people inside the Pioneer for the first time in a while. Seeing the gorgeous ‘Pioneer’ neon lit after several years was a joy.
Dustin and Emily Kelly and Sandee Alexander put out a great spread at the shindig, and while I haven’t seen a menu yet, I think this is going to be an awesome addition to our uptown sector.
It was also really cool to see a lot of old friends at Friday night’s BBQ event. Lots of faces I had not seen in a long time.
Speaking of neat stuff happening in uptown, Susanville’s historic Grand Café looks to have a bright future thanks to Judith Lowry, Lassen Municipal Utility District has purchased the old Bank of America building on Gay Street for their new headquarters and there is even a new bus stop on Main Street.
And this year, for its classical concerts, Ben Wade and the Susanville Symphony will be returning to Pastor White’s beautiful United Methodist Church on South Lassen Street.
Jill and Randy Robbins have purchased the old Lassen Times building at 800 Main Street, which, I am told, will serve as legal offices and a big, beautiful gallery for Lassen County’s most famous Outdoor Adventure Photographer.
The uptown sector looks terrific at the moment. A big shout out to Cody and City of Susanville’s code enforcement for cracking the whip and getting cleanup started at properties all over town. It is really making a difference. A big, serious difference and we appreciate it.
Mitch Lively is home! Susanville’s globe-trotting professional pitcher is home from the Mexican League for winter with the family after his 16th season as a pro ball player. Town is always a better place in Mitch’s off season!
And last, but not least, Tom and Melissa have a new Goldendoodle named Malibu.
And now you are completely caught up… have an awesome day! See you next Friday!