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StaffReports REDBLUFF The Ride On Race Series will host three races in Red Bluff in Janu- ary, starting Saturday, and attract participants from Siskiyou, Shasta, Tehama and Butte counties. This on- and off-road cycling event aims to im- prove your cycling skills and fitness by repetitions on the course. The course the riders race on is usu- ally about one mile long and puts riders through different obstacles some- times requiring them to dismount and either push or carry their bikes. Races are scheduled as follows: Jan. 7 Dog Island, Jan. 21 Forward Park, Jan. 28 Trainor Park, all in Red Bluff, Feb. 4 Boomtown BMX Shasta Lake City, Feb. 11 Kids Kingdom Red- ding and Feb. 18 Caldwell Park Redding. There will be three classes of races. At noon will be the C-Class race making laps out on the course for 30 minutes. At 12:45 p.m. the B-Class will start its 45-minute race. At 1:40 p.m. a free kids race will be a one lap affair giv- ing the 12 and younger rac- ers a chance to show their stuff. At 2 p.m. the last race of the day will be the A- RIDE ON CyclocrossraceseriesstartsSaturday Noel Welch of Redding rides at the 2013 Ride On Race Series race at Forward Park. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Heidi Thomas is pictured at her swearing in Nov. 8, 2016as a Tehama County District Attorney Investigator. By Julie Zeeb jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com @DN_Zeeb on Twitter RED BLUFF Although she didn't know it at the time, former Red Bluff Police Officer Heidi Thomas made history when she assumed her new position on Nov. 8 as the first female to become a Tehama County dis- trict attorney investigator. "I didn't know I was the first when I was sworn in," Thomas said. "It's a lot of pressure, but it's absolutely an honor. It's the opportunity of a lifetime to work with such a stellar group of people with so much ex- perience." Thomas says she enjoys having the ability and time to dig deeper into a case and explore hunches as well as find out what is really going on. The decision to leave Red Bluff Police was a difficult one for Thomas because the organiza- tion is like family to her, the administration team is great and she had just promoted in June 2016 to corporal, she said. Red Bluff's law enforcement agencies work well to- gether in a partnership the community is lucky to have, which made the transition easier, Thomas said. The road to law en- forcement wasn't Thomas' original choice. When she was younger she wanted to be an Emergency Medical Technician and was go- ing to go to paramedic school, but then she went into dispatching as a Shascom Dispatcher, where she re- mained for 10 years. After deciding she wanted to go into law enforce- ment, Thomas hired an agility trainer to help her re- test when she failed her agility test on the first go around. Thomas began her job search in 2009, when many agencies were letting people go due to the economy. At the recommendation of a friend from Redding LAW ENFORCEMENT THOMAS MAKES HISTORY: 1ST FEMALE INVESTIGATOR By Heather Hoelscher hhoelscher@redbluffdailynews.com @DN_Heather on Twitter RED BLUFF Several new California laws took ef- fect Sunday including an increase in minimum wage, new gun restrictions and salons and bar- bershops now being allowed to serve alcohol. California's minimum wage has increased, for businesses with 26 or more employees, to $10.50 from $10. It will eventually rise to $15 an hour in 2022. The law delays the increases by one year for smaller employers. Sipandclip A new alcohol law went into effect Sunday that allows beauty salons and barbershops licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs, Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, to serve up to 12 ounces of beer or six ounces of wine to a cus- tomer without an alcoholic beverage license or permit, according to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. There can be no additional charge or fee for the alcoholic bever- age and businesses could serve up to 10 p.m. daily. Some local hair salons aren't participating at this time but will be discussing the topic with the employees in the near future. Janell Fitzger- ald, owner of Plum Crazy, said she likes having the option to provide a glass of wine or beer to her customers and wouldn't be opposed to pro- viding that service to them. Other local hair salons were not aware of the new law and said they would look into the law and see if that would be something they would be interested it. The state has also sign a bill that bans smok- ing or the use of electronic cigarettes within 250 feet of any Little League game or other youth sports event. CALIFORNIA Several newlaws forthe newyear By Kristin J. Bender The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO Wet winter weather slammed much of the West on Wednesday, with storms dropping 8 inches of snow on one Oregon city and as much as 5 feet of the white stuff predicted high in the Sierra Nevada. The snow was expected to be a boon for the snowpack in California, which is flirting with a sixth straight year of drought. Some highways flooded in the San Francisco Bay Area when more than an inch of rain fell overnight. Mud and rockslides were reported in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The San Lorenzo River was swollen and the Big Sur River was also above flood stage, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major property damage. Flood warnings and watches were issued for 11 counties in the San Francisco Bay Area, and forecasters said heavy rains would last through Thursday. STORMS We t wi nt er weather slams we st er n st at es Community.....A3 Opinion............A4 Sports.............. B1 Lifestyles........B3 Comics ............B4 Weather ..........B6 INDEX Man who shot up black church says he's fit to receive sen- tencing, denies mental impair- ment. PAGEA6 CHARLESTON SHOOTER Roof: I'm fine psychologically President elect throws cold water on the idea that the Russians unduly influenced 2016election. PAGE A6 POLITICS Trump sides with Assange on hacking BUSINESS U Dow Jones Industrial 19,942.16 (+60.40) U Standard & Poor's 2270.75 (+12.92) U Nasdaq 5477.00 (+47.92) Have a great day, John Larzabal. GOOD MORNING! Check out what's going on in your neighborhood and the community. PAGE A2 LOCAL CALENDAR Clearing High: Low: 49 27 PAGE B6 LAWS PAGE 5 STORMS PAGE 5 CYCLOCROSS PAGE 5 Former Red Bluff Police Officer Heidi Thomas is pictured with her family in June 2016. DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTO "I didn't know I was the first when I was sworn in. It's a lot of pressure, but it's absolutely an honor. It's the opportunity of a lifetime to work with such a stellar group of people with so much experience." — Heidi Thomas, Tehama County district attorney investigator THOMAS PAGE 5 » redbluffdailynews.com Thursday, January 5, 2017 50CENTS AN EDITION OF THE CHICO ENTERPRISE-RECORD Online Find more news on our website. redbluffdailynews.com Recycling A new purpose for an old box spring, mattress Lifestyles B3 Garden Club Brightening a gloomy day with dreams of spring Community A3 DON'TBE SCAMMED Scamalerts Readour online scam alert section to learn how to avoid being scammed. VISIT REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM/ SCAMALERT Volume132,issue33 7 58551 69001 9