2003 Youth “Get A Job” Days

The third annual Youth “Get A Job” Days was held during the week of April 17th. The Workforce Connection sponsors this event each year to assist the local youth in finding employment as well as helping Siskiyou County businesses find qualified workers.

The Workforce Connection and Gear Up Program cosponsored Keith Johnson of The Village Project to speak at the COS Theatre on Monday, April 17. He dazzled his audience with his powerful message about the transition from childhood to adulthood.

Businesses from throughout Siskiyou County were contacted and job openings were posted for the students to review. The following is a breakdown of the number of listings from each city:

Dunsmuir – 9	Mt. Shasta – 18
Etna – 3	Tulelake – 1
Hornbrook – 4	Weed – 15
McCloud – 1	Yreka – 15

The Youth “Get A Job” Day in north county was in conjunction with the Career Fair at Yreka High School, on Wednesday, March 19. In the north county session we had two one-hour sessions and were attended by 33 students from Yreka and Discovery High Schools.

The south county Youth “Get A Job” Day was held in the Weed Workforce Connection office on Saturday, March 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In this session we were able to serve 23 students from Dunsmuir, Mt. Shasta, Weed, Mattole Valley Charter and California Institute of Technology schools. Students at both events were able to fill out a generic application, make a professional resume, look over the job listings, view some sample interviews, and answer some questions.

Local businesses were approached for donations for various drawings throughout the Youth “Get A Job” Days. We had a wonderful response and were able to delight the students with great prizes.

This year, in addition to the drawings for the donated prizes, we had a backpack filled with items to help a student get started working. The backpack winner for Yreka was Heather Probst from Yreka High School. The Weed winner was Lisa Steel of Weed High School.

This year we also added another incentive for the students to apply for jobs. We created a card that the student will fill out and have an employer initial when they apply for a job. The student that applies for the most jobs will win. The first prize for this contest is a 13-inch Panasonic television, second prize is a cordless phone with caller ID and call waiting, and the third prize is a Timex clock radio.

Once again the 2003 Youth “Get A Job” Day was very successful!!!

When TOC talks, Businesses Listen !

In order to keep current with ever changing labor law and human resource information, the Workforce Connection’s Employer Resource Center recently acquired membership with TOC Management Services.

Since 1960, TOC has helped its members in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California manage their human resource needs. Some of the services offered by TOC include wage and hour consulting, publications and research, safety, on site training, and frequent breakfast briefings on key issues.

Frank Sanderson, TOC California Regional Manager, presented employer seminars at the Workforce Connection in Weed and Yreka. A “Legislative Update/Year-End Recap” employer seminar was presented by Sanderson in December 2002. The “DOs and DON’Ts of Hiring and Firing” was the topic for February 2003. Feedback was great and employers are looking forward to the next seminar scheduled for May on “Wage and Hour Issues” to be presented by Mark Vegh, TOC Employee & Labor Relations representative.

Congratulations Joanie !!!!

Joanie Zarzynski, Employer Resources Technician, has completed training and received certification as a “Human Resource Manager" through the Human Resource Management Certification Program.

The program is sponsored through Columbia Southern University (CSU). CSU is an accredited, degree-granting member of the DETC (Distance Education and Training Council) and an institutional member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and an institutional member of the American Council on Education (ACE). ACE is the nation's umbrella higher education association. Institutional membership is limited to nationally or regionally accredited colleges or universities.

There is an annual renewal examination to re-certify the CHRM certificate.

Course of Study:

• Module I Intro to the Environment Human Resource Management
• Module II Securing Human Resources
• Module III Rewarding Human Resources
• Module IV Developing Human Resources
• Module V Maintaining Labor – Management Relations
• Module VI Protecting and Evaluating Human Resources
• Module VII Self Awareness

Josephine Wyatt, Employer Services Coordinator, stated that “We are very pleased to have Joanie working in the Employer Services Department. Her Certification as Human Resource Manager is a great asset for providing services to the business community.”

D & R Celebrates 20th Anniversary

A steady crowd of customers filled D&R Hardware Store on Main Street in Weed to help owners Dave and Mel Borcalli celebrate the store’s 20th anniversary.

The Weed Chamber of Commerce participated in the day long event by holding a “mixer” in the evening complete with a catered meal and anniversary cake.

D&R Hardware opened in 1983 in its present location on Main Street. Mel Borcalli, who has served on the Weed City Council for years and has been mayor several times, said the “D” in the hardware store’s name, is for Dave Borcalli and the “R” is for silent partner Russ Sterling, now deceased.

Mel said before opening D&R Hardware store, her husband Dave had 17 years experience working for the hardware store inside the old “Weed Mercantile.” That store closed in 1982 and Dave got a job at the “box factory” next door. Soon after that the mill and box factory closed and Dave was unemployed for a year.

With the encouragement of friends and financial help of a silent partner, Mel said Dave opened his own hardware store. In 1990 D&R Hardware expanded by purchasing the Laundromat next door.

Mel said Dave has developed a rapport with his loyal customers who appreciate his “dry humor.”

During the anniversary party customers came forward with examples of the things Dave has said to them:

For a difficult problem, customers have heard Dave say, “Don’t hurry back” or “Hurry back and spend more next time” or “The special price for you is double.”

When referring to his merchandise, Dave has been known to say, “I have everything” or “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it” or “Everything is a bargain” or “It’s on sale everyday.”

Although the economy has been hard on businesses in downtown Weed in the last two decades, D&R Hardware has continued to do well. “Sometimes things are a little slow in the winter but hardware is something people need in all seasons,” said Mel. “The people in Weed have been very generous to us.”

Russian Foresters Arrive

Eleven Russian foresters are visiting America to learn about regulations in California forests as part of the Center for Citizen Initiatives Productivity Enhancement Program.

The foresters, through an interpreter, have spoken about their work in Russia and their basic interests in learning forestry management, production, sales, quality control, personnel, management, new methods of forestry restoration, and regeneration and wood processing. They said they hope to learn and take home new technologies and practices to enhance forests in Russia.

Their 3 ½ week stay includes visits to area forests and mills in the south county as well as Crescent City, Eureka, and Medford. Among the topics during their tour will be an overview of the American forestry industry, forestry management practices, plantation management and urban interface fuels treatment, timber sales and marketing, firefighting operations, California federal forest management regulation comparisons, and small private landowner issues, to name just a few.

“We must put the hardships that were experienced between our two countries in the past and move forward together into the future,” stated Yuri Bondarenko, one of the foresters.

Workforce Connection Strengthens Partnership

The Workforce Connection and STEP Youth Program are strengthening the link with the educational system in Siskiyou County. On February 25th, Wanda Lopez and Janie Gaither from the Workforce Connection participated in the Weed High School “Career Day” event. Approximately twenty five students attended a presentation on “Job Search and Retention”.

Then, on March 19th, Career Resource Technicians, Jennifer Truttman and Sharon Hall, were invited to present at Career Day for Yreka High School. The Workforce Connection staff presented to fifty students at Yreka High School. The coordinators of Career Day feel that the presentation was very well received and feel students learned a great deal about effective Job Search and Retention.

Student attendees at both high schools obtained valuable information on Workforce Connection services as well as pre employment skills training. The opportunity to present at both Career Days has proven to be very successful. We are seeing more students accessing our services in both the Yreka and Weed offices of the Workforce Connection.

In addition, the Workforce Connection participated in the Yreka High School Mock Interview activity. The Mock Interview event was part of the Junior English Class component on Job Readiness. Five members of our staff served as interviewers in the day long event which was conducted on Wednesday, March 26th. Yreka High School expressed appreciation for our involvement and would like for the Workforce Connection to present next year as part of the Job Readiness Curriculum for this course.

We look forward to further collaboration with the Siskiyou County School System!

Helping Business Put Their Best Foot Forward

The Workforce Connection Employer Resource Center ventured into some undiscovered territory in January of 2003 by hosting mini “Business Workshops.” Local businesses expressed a need for various training, but did not have the “time” to commit to a long-term training program. These workshops are designed to provide the business with a quick “learning” experience regarding the basic functions of the software program. For further in-depth training the individuals are referred to College of the Siskiyous.

Paul Shelton, Employer Information Analyst, spent a week in training on Dreamweaver MX software from Macromedia. Paul then developed a series of classes that are offered each week at the Workforce Connection Community Employment Center Lab. The first series of classes offered was Web Page Design, MS-Power Point, MS-Publisher,and MS-Excel. Each class is for 3 evenings a week, and runs 2-3 hours depending upon the material to be covered.

Needless to say, the response has been overwhelming; in fact, there is a waiting list for many of the classes offered. Since January, Paul has added MS-Excel and MS Word to the class offerings, and is doing some on-site training for businesses too.

Seating is limited to 6-8 attendees because of the number of available computers in the Community Employment Center, so STEP has applied for a grant to purchase 10 laptop computers, and hopefully will be able to expand the number of students at each class.

Paul has done an excellent job of teaching these classes, as stated by testimonials from attendees; “Keep these classes! They’re quick, easy to commit to and valuable,” “Found the class to be very informative. Thanks for offering it.” “The instructor is obviously committed to the students best Interests; is well paced and organized.

The web site training “Putting Your Business on the Internet” has been beneficial to the business community as well. Although, we did not have a large number of attendees (partly due to the fact of our limited computer access), those that did attend were very pleased with the presenter, John Milar, and the patience and time that he took with each participant.

Do’s and Don’ts of Hiring and Firing

The Workforce Connection’s Employer Resource Center sponsored a quarterly seminar in Yreka and in Weed, on the “Do’s and Don’ts of Hiring and Firing.

Frank Sanderson, Regional Manager of TOC Management Services (an HR Consulting Firm), presented information on the following topics:

• Recruitment-The importance of having a job description listing essential qualifications, as well as various sources to use for recruitment.
• Permissible and Prohibited Pre-Employment Questions-All questions must be job related.
• Interviewing Techniques-The interviewer should elicit information on the applicant’s background to learn more about their skills, use open-ended questions.
• Reference Checking-New law on Background Checks, Assembly Bill 655.

The response to the seminar was excellent! Attendance totaled 42 and comments included: “Frank is very knowledgeable,” “Very informative – Great Speaker!” “Appreciate the exchange of ideas on a practical level,” “One of the best seminars I’ve attended.”

The next scheduled seminar is May 15th, with Mark Vey, TOC Management Services presenting information on “Employment Law.”

Building the Local Youth Council Advisory Committee

STEP has taken a lead role in developing the Local Youth Council Advisory Committee. Several key individuals from various youth organizations were invited to serve on this new and exciting committee. There has been overwhelming participation from current partners, and new partnerships are being developed through this opportunity to create a Youth Development System in Siskiyou County.

Currently, the Local Youth Advisory Committee possesses representatives from the following organizations:

• STEP, Inc.
• Siskiyou County ROP
• Siskiyou County Office of Education
• Siskiyou County Probation Department
• Siskiyou County Behavioral Health
• Remi Vista Counseling Services ILP
• College of the Siskiyous Program
• Yreka Union High School
• Siskiyou County ILP (Independent Living Program/Transitional Housing)
• California Conservation Corps
• NoRTEC Youth Council Representative

We are in the process of recruiting youth to serve on the committee. The voice of youth is imperative to the development of our own community based Youth Development System which will be designed to serve all youth.

We are in the initial stages of building a Youth Development System. Currently, we are exploring ways to conduct resource mapping and gap analysis of youth services. On May 1st, we will participate in a presentation from the Siskiyou County Library regarding their Community Resource web site Our hope is to build upon this web site by adding a youth services component. Marketing the directory is very important so school counselors and other organizations will utilize the system when dealing with youth. The members of the Local Youth Council Advisory Committee have dedicated themselves to making this project become successful!

On March 29th, committee members, Janie Gaither of STEP and the NoRTEC Youth Council, and Kim Greene from the Siskiyou County ROP Program attended the California State Youth Council (SYC) Meeting in Sacramento. They were invited by the California Workforce Investment Board to attend this youth driven event. The activities were centered on the voices and ideas of youth, including activities for strengthening and encouraging youth-adult partnerships.

The SYC meeting was held on the same weekend as the California Coalition for Youth (CCY) and Western States Youth Services Network (WSYSN) sponsored conference titled “Taking Action 2003”. The focus of this conference was “Putting the ‘Youth’ in Youth Development”. The opportunity to attend both the SYC and Taking Action conference has provided committee members with valuable information and ideas for the Local Youth Advisory Committee in Siskiyou County.

Kim Greene has invited Robert Padilla from the California Workforce Investment Board to attend an upcoming meeting. Padilla will further discuss the importance and role of the Local Youth Advisory Committee.

We are truly excited about this new endeavor and look forward to making change in Siskiyou County for youth!

Roseburg to Lower Plywood Production

Current economic conditions and “chronic oversupply in domestic plywood markets” are the primary reason for lower plywood reduction at Roseburg Forest Products (RFP), stated Allyn C. Ford, President of RFP.

The reduction of softwood plywood production, is expected to primarily affect Roseburg’s plywood manufacturing facility in Dillard, OR.

“The changes in our plywood business are necessary to respond to the changes in our markets.” Said Ford. “Competition from substitute products, such as OSB, and imports has put tremendous pressure on the plywood industry. That pressure, coupled with the extended economic downturn of the past several years, has forced us to take action today.”

The reduced plywood production volume will result in reduction in the company’s salaried and hourly workforce. “This is a difficult decision for Roseburg Forest Products, and will clearly impact our families and our communities,” said Ford.

“The reductions in our plywood production allows us to take more veneer into our higher-value engineered wood products, as we grow that business,” said Ford.

Roseburg Forest Products, based in Roseburg, OR, is a privately held, integrated manufacturer of a diverse line of lumber, plywood, particle-board and engineered wood products, with timberlands and manufacturing facilities in Oregon, California (Weed, CA) and Montana.

What’s New In Siskiyou County

Classic 50s
Class 50’s Hot Dogs and Desserts opened recently in downtown Yreka.
They feature Casper Hot dogs, Elvis dogs, salsa, hot dogs, chili dogs, Polish dogs, and Cajun dogs. You can also order homemade tamales and homemade deserts. Located at 117 S. Main Street, the restaurant includes a Juke Box with 50’s music and Elvis memorabilia.

Lillie’s & Latte’s
Lillie’s & Latte’s located on Main Street in Weed is a florist/gift/latte shop. A full service florist and gift shop, you can find just about anything you need for yourself or that special someone. Flowers, candles, Wedding accessories (tuxedo rentals), charm bracelets, to outdoor decorating. While you’re shopping or waiting for your flowers you can also enjoy a steaming latte or mocha at their latte bar.

Pizza Place
The Pizza Place has opened its doors at 155 Main Street in Weed. This is the second location for the Pizza Place, as there is a store in Yreka also. Featuring take-n-bake pizza, and soft drinks, the menu may be small but the food is “big” on taste. If you’re in a hurry, for an additional charge they will cook your pizza for you. The Pizza Place’s goal is to provide you with a good quality, great tasting, and quickly made pizza and to do so with friendly service.

Curves for Women
Curves for Women is now open at 625 South Mt. Shasta Blvd., offering a breakthrough 30 minute workout that combines aerobics and strength training in a fun supportive environment. The workout is based on circuit training, where participants move from one station to another. An instructor tells you to move every 30 second and to check your heart rate each seven and a half minutes. According to Curves, strength training has been proven as the solution to permanent body fat reduction. The Curves Workout is strength training that people will do.

Rockhouse Gym
The Rockhouse gym, located at 1020 North Mount Shasta Blvd., has expanded with the addition of a full service salon. With a relaxing spa-like atmosphere, stylists say they pamper customers with special treatments. The salon includes all the traditional services, plus waxing, facials, ear piercing, massage and tanning.