News

Film Siskiyou is now a thriving program of Siskiyou Economic Development and Discover Siskiyou. In 2024 and 2025, film permits issued have measurably increased in Siskiyou County, with several documentaries, series, and commercial projects choosing Siskiyou County locations for production projects.

SEDC Executive Director Tonya Dowse was recently honored as California’s first-ever Local Economic Development Champion by the California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED).

Last week, we were in the studio with Becca Larson, owner of Pyroclastic Chocolates. Becca’s handcrafts chocolates are uniquely inspired by our region. The geometric shapes and flavor pairings--- in six-and twelve-piece variety packs, are truly boxes of art.

Discover Siskiyou has launched an all‑new print and digital magazine designed to serve as both a comprehensive visitors’ guide and a lifestyle publication celebrating Siskiyou’s dynamic local culture.

In 2024, the Siskiyou Economic Development Council (SEDC) purchased 404 W Miner Street—an adjacent property to the historic Carnegie Building—to expand its vision for a thriving business innovation campus in downtown Yreka. Remediation and demolition were underway this week. Once complete, the reimagined building will feature a community great room, a Siskiyou Farm Co retail hub, and an outdoor market plaza.

A new solar array and back up battery system is now a central feature of a new business innovation campus, opening in October 2025. When the campus is open, the solar array will serve as an educational exhibit for energy resiliency and cost savings, in a rural context. The array was connected on June 30th, marking a significant milestone in the project to return the 400 block of Yreka’s historic Miner Street into a hub for downtown activity.

Siskiyou County is the recipient of multiple awards through the CA Jobs First Catalyst Fund, a California program aimed at strengthening regional economies across California.  

Mechanics Bank has pledged $250,000 to support the Yreka Carnegie Library Rehabilitation Project, a key initiative aimed at transforming the historic library into a vibrant hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and community engagement. 

The Siskiyou Economic Development Council (SEDC) is excited to announce the launch of a new climate survey aimed at gathering the insights and experiences of Siskiyou County businesses and residents regarding climate change.

The SEDC has been announced as a SOLVE-IT prize recipient, and will compete for an additional $150,000 by working with community partners to identify and prioritize a clean energy project in Siskiyou County.

Grant Hanna, of the Hanna Brothers Ranch, recently applied for the Pacific Power Agriculture Incentives Program, a subsidiary of their Wattsmart Business Program. The assistance from Pacific Power allowed the Hanna Brothers Ranch to invest in important upgrades, including the installation of moisture sensors and Low Emission Precision Application (LEPA) sprinklers for their irrigation pivots.

The 127-acre former industrial site is now officially clean, marking a major milestone for the City of Mt. Shasta. The City and SEDC are excited about future redevelopment opportunities and proud of the years of work invested in preparing the site.

The Siskiyou Economic Development Council will rehabilitate and re-open Yreka’s Historic Carnegie building to inspire future-forward solutions for the region’s working landscape economies, making this USDA RD RISE and California Jobs First initiative a unique model for economic development and historical revitalization.

The Cal OSBA team joined Siskiyou and Shasta County leaders, and local businesses to celebrate the kickoff of the four-year Inclusive Innovation Hub designation. Senate Bill 193; Accelerate CA will invest $13M in 13 Inclusive Innovation Hubs spanning the state over the next four years.

The City of Yreka, the Siskiyou County Economic Development Council, and the Shasta-Cascade Small Business Development Center have collaborated to seek solutions to alleviate the impact on Main Street businesses. Their joint effort has culminated in the successful acquisition of a $750,000 CDBG, which will serve as the foundation for a forgivable loan program administered by the SBDC.

Yreka is among four rural communities to be awarded funding by the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable to further support the outdoor recreation economy in Yreka. This award for Jefferson Mountain Bike Company and shop owner, Bill Robberson, builds on the goals of Yreka’s RERC Action plan, by accelerating the shop's efforts to create a memorable destination, and connect community and visitors to our awe-inspiring outdoors.

Yreka is among 17 rural communities invited by the National Endowment for the Arts, to participate in the 2023-2024 Rural Design Learning Cohort. The program will provide Yreka’s community with access to cohort based learning and technical expertise to benefit Yreka’s West Miner Historic District, a concentration of historic places, anchor businesses and eateries that is significant to the region’s economy and tourism.

Siskiyou Economic Development Council program managers, Alia and Quintin, provided a well-received and attended presentation at the 2023 CALED Annual Conference this week.

The SEDC has been awarded a grant of $1 Million by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) to support the expansion of the Shasta-Cascade Accelerate California Hub, a program to support innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture, outdoor tourism and clean energy sectors in California’s North.