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Monday, May 31, 2010 – Daily News – 7A WHEE wraps up MEDALS Continued from page 1A after her injuries she had trouble staying afloat, but was so determined that she refused to leave the pool until she had gone the entire length. “My left side is still not as strong as my right side so I have to be conscious about every move I make when I swim,” Herrera BILLS Continued from page 1A tion ballot pamphlet would tell vot- ers which groups are financially backing initiatives under a bill by Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord. His SB1202 would require listing the five top contributors to each bal- lot measure and the amount of their contributions as of 110 days before Election Day. Daily News photo by Geoff Johnson Pepper Castleberry of Eugene, Ore., takes in the sights Saturday at the World Hemp Expo Extravganja. Dennis Hopper, Hollywood hero and antihero, dies LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dennis Hopper, who brought the counterculture to Hollywood with ‘‘Easy Rider’’ and led a career marked by successes, failures and comebacks, has died at age 74. Hopper, who was twice nom- inated for Oscars and earned a star this year on the Walk of Fame, died Saturday at his home in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles, family friend Alex Hitz said. Hopper had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009. ‘‘We rode the highways of America and changed Hopper the way movies were made in Hollywood,’’ Peter Fonda, his ‘‘Easy Rider’’ co-star, said in comments carried by several news outlets. ‘‘I was blessed by his passion and friendship.’’ The success of ‘‘Easy Rider’’ and failure of his next film, ‘‘The Last Movie,’’ fit the pattern for the talented but wild Hopper, who also had parts in such favorites as ‘‘Rebel Without a Cause,’’ ‘‘Apocalypse Now,’’ ‘‘Blue Velvet’’ and ‘‘Hoosiers.’’ Other tributes were posted on celebrities’ websites and Twitter feeds. ‘‘So long Dennis,’’ actress Virginia Madsen, who starred in the Hopper-directed ‘‘The Hot Spot,’’ said on her Twitter page. ‘‘U taught me so much.’’ After a promising start that included roles in two James Dean films, Hopper’s acting career languished as he developed a reputation for tantrums and drug abuse. On the set of ‘‘True Grit,’’ Hopper so angered John Wayne that the star reportedly chased Hopper with a loaded gun. ‘‘Much of Hollywood,’’ wrote critic-historian David Thomson, ‘‘found Hopper a pain in the neck.’’ All was forgiven when he collaborated with Fonda on a script about two pot-smoking, drug-dealing hip- pies on a cross-country motorcycle trip. On the way, Hopper and Fonda befriend a drunken young lawyer (Jack Nicholson in a breakout role) but arouse the enmity of Southern rednecks and are mur- dered before they can return home. ‘‘’Easy Rider’ was never a motorcycle movie to me,’’ Hopper said in 2009. ‘‘A lot of it was about polit- ically what was going on in the country.’’ Fonda produced ‘‘Easy Rider’’ and Hopper directed it for a meager $380,000. It went on to gross $40 mil- lion worldwide, a substantial sum for its time. It was a hit at Cannes, netted a best-screenplay Oscar nomination for Hopper, Fonda and Terry South- ern. The establishment gave official blessing in 1998 when ‘‘Easy Rider’’ was included in the United States National Film Registry for being ‘‘culturally, histori- cally, or aesthetically significant.’’ Its success prompted studio heads to schedule a new kind of movie: low cost, with inventive photography and themes about a restive baby boom generation. With Hopper hailed as a brilliant filmmaker, Universal Pictures lavished $850,000 on his next project, ‘‘The Last Movie.’’ The title was prescient. Hopper took a large cast and crew to a village in Peru to film the tale of a tribe cor- rupted by a movie company. Trouble on the set devel- oped almost immediately, as Peruvian authorities pestered the company and drug-induced orgies were reported. The film took a drug-and-drink addled Hopper nearly a year to edit, and when it was released, ‘‘The Last Movie’’ was such a crashing failure that it made Hopper unwanted in Hollywood for a decade, and forced him to find work in Europe. He made a remarkable comeback, starting with a memorable performance as a drugged-out journalist in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 Vietnam War epic, ‘‘Apocalypse Now.’’ Hopper was on drugs off camera, too, and his rambling chatter was worked into the film. Thank you TEHAMA COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION for your endorsement. We are pleased to inform you that, after closely evaluating the candidates for District Attorney, we have elected to endorse you. Thank-you for your years of dedicated service, and good luck in the upcoming election! Sincerely, Paul Hosler, President — Sports agents representing student athletes would have greater scrutiny and more restrictive con- tracts, under SB1098. The measure by Sen. Ellen Corbett, D-San Lean- dro, would require agents to register with the Department of Industrial Relations. Student athletes would have 14 days to opt out of contracts, and agents would have to notify the student’s school within three days of signing the document. — It would be tougher for local governments to file for bankruptcy under an Assembly bill that was amended in the Senate. AB155 by Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, D- Artesia, would require governments to go before the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission before filing for Chapter 9 bankrupt- cy. The local governments could override the commission’s recom- mendation. — California could soon set its own comfort standards for airline passengers stuck on the tarmac for more than two hours. SB1264 by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, would require commercial airlines to provide passengers with food and beverages, restrooms, fresh air and lighting. The state Public Utilities Commission could fine airlines up to $27,500 per passenger for viola- tions. — Customers could redeem gift certificates or gift cards for cash if the remaining value is less than $20 under a bill by Sen. Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro. Her SB885 also prohibits charging dormancy fees for unused cards. Her bill was prompted by the estimated $6.4 bil- lion worth of gift cards that went unspent nationally in 2008. — Private employers would have to give employees time off to donate organs or bone marrow under SB1304. The bill by Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, would give Man charged with killing missing girlfriend said. “Before my injury when I got into the water, it was like being on land. It was just easy, but now if I don’t think about it I’ll start to sink.” More than 200 wound- ed service members from all branches of service competed in the Warrior Games, which included shooting, swimming, archery, volleyball, cycling, track, basketball, discus and shot put. The games are a joint effort of the US Olympic Committee and the U.S. Department of Defense to give soldiers wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan a chance to prove to others and themselves that they can do what they put their minds to, a US Army release said. For Herrera, that meant doing something she was told was impossible. Although it has been a little more than a year and a half since she was employees of private companies the same leave rights that are available to many public employees. — Consumers could opt out of receiving telephone directories under a bill by Sen. Leland Yee, D- San Francisco. His SB920 would require directory publishers to put information on the cover of their directories telling recipients how they can avoid getting the printed listings in the future. Here are some of the bills sched- uled for Assembly votes this week: — It would be illegal to openly carry a gun in public, even if it’s unloaded, under a bill by Assembly- woman Lori Saldana, D-San Diego. The bill, AB1934, would make it a misdemeanor to carry an exposed handgun on any public street or in a public place. Saldana says unloaded guns pose a threat to public safety, in part because gun owners are allowed to carry ammunition with them. Republicans say the bill would infringe on a person’s right to bear arms. — Individuals convicted of ille- gally carrying a gun would be banned from owning a firearm for 10 years under AB2186 by Assem- blyman Kevin De Leon, D-Los Angeles. De Leon says studies show that criminals convicted of firearm- related offenses are more likely to commit a violent offense. The bill would apply to individuals convict- ed of illegally carrying a concealed firearm in a motor vehicle, carrying a loaded firearm or permitting firearms in their vehicles. — A criminal’s conviction as a juvenile would no longer count toward the state’s Three Strikes law under AB1751 by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco. Ammiano says the current law dis- criminates against juveniles who often are not given a jury trail. Republicans say the bill would put Californians at risk by allowing the release of convicted criminals who have committed serious crimes in the past. — Paparazzi could be arrested for loitering outside a celebrity’s home or work place under legisla- tion by Assemblywoman Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles. AB2479 also would make it a crime under Cali- fornia’s anti-stalking statute for paparazzi to participate in surveil- lance activities outside schools of a Strum had retained an attor- ney. injured, Herrera’s medals prove she has come a long way with her recovery. In winning a silver in the women’s 50-meter freestyle and bronze in the women’s 50-meter back- stroke she helped bring the Army’s medal count to 16 overall. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews. com. celebrity’s child. Bass says her bill is an effort to stem the aggressive tactics of paparazzi vying to get valuable photos and recordings of celebrities. — Medical marijuana storefronts would be banned within 600 feet of a school under AB2650 by Assem- blywoman Joan Buchanan, D- Alamo. Local governments that already have enacted ordinances governing the location of coopera- tives and dispensaries would be exempted. Cities would be allowed to impose more stringent regula- tions under the bill. Medical mari- juana advocates say the bill could result in the closure of dispensaries that serve thousands of ill patients. — Supermarket shoppers would be charged for grocery bags begin- ning in 2012 under legislation by Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, D-Santa Monica. AB1998 would ban grocery stores, large pharmacies and convenience stores from provid- ing free plastic or paper bags. Only recycled paper bags made of 40 per- cent post-consumer material could be sold to shoppers who forget to bring their own bags. Brownley has said disposable bags are wasteful, and kill or maim marine wildlife and cost Californians more than $25 million a year to collect and truck to landfills. The California Taxpayers’ Association says disposable bags are affordable and convenient. — The state would have a new Department of Energy led by a cab- inet head under legislation by Assemblyman Mike Villines, R- Clovis. The department would replace the California Energy Com- mission. AB2561 is sponsored by the Schwarzenegger administration as a way to consolidate state energy policy. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would need to win legislative approval to sell two dozen state office buildings under a bill by Assemblyman Hector De La Torre, D-South Gate. The Republican gov- ernor has promoted the sales as a way to help close California’s $19 billion budget deficit. AB2605 also would require the administration to perform a 50-year cost-benefit analysis before selling the buildings. Lawmakers have questioned whether selling and then renting back the buildings makes economic sense. STATE BRIEFING Small quake ate race as a statistical dead heat. Whitman again leads YREKA (AP) — A Siskiyou County man is being held without bail after being arrested with the killing of his missing girl- friend. Charles Ray Strum is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Siskiyou Coun- ty Superior Court. Siskiyou County deputies say they believe they found have the body of Strum’s on-again, off-again girlfriend. Kelly Noelle Jor- genson of Yreka has been missing since mid-April. Authorities say Jorgen- son was last seen at a party at Strum’s house. The 28-year-old Strum was arrested Thursday on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to obstruct jus- tice. A sheriff’s spokes- woman says investigators are trying to determine if anybody else was involved in the woman’s death. It was not known if big in race LOS ANGELES (AP) — A new poll shows that former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman has stopped her plunge in recent polls to again take a large lead in the Republican race for Califor- nia governor, and former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina has become the clear front-run- ner in the race to take on Barbara Boxer for her U.S. Senate seat. The Los Angeles Times/USC poll released Saturday shows Whitman leading state insurance commissioner Steve Poizn- er by 24 points, and Fiorina leading former congress- man Tom Campbell by 15 points less than two weeks before the June 8 primary. The results differ sharply from a the Public Policy Institute of California poll released just 10 days ago showing Whitman with a nine-point lead and the Sen- shakes Bay SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A small earth- quake has shaken the Bay Area. The U.S. Geological Survey says the 3.0-tem- blor struck at shortly before midnight Saturday and was centered about 17 miles southeast of San Francisco near San Lean- dro. The USGS recorded hundreds of responses on its website from people saying they felt the quake. But San Francisco police operations center said three hours after it hit that there hadn’t been any calls from the public about the quake. D.A. finds no crime around Palin contract MODESTO (AP) — A district attorney has cleared a California university of intentionally destroying documents about an upcoming speech by Sarah Palin. The Stanislaus County District Attorney also found no evidence of wrongdoing by students who obtained part of Palin’s contract. The former vice presi- dential candidate is sched- uled to give a paid speech June 25 at the California State University, Stanislaus. It is not known how much Palin will be compensated. Campus president Hamid Shirvani had sug- gested in the past that the contract may have been stolen from a recycling bin inside the office of a vice president. Two students had claimed that they found the documents in a campus dumpster. Investigators say the two students declined to assist in the probe. Have a news tip? Call 527-2151, Ext. 112 Tehama County District Attorney RE-ELECT Paid political advertisement GREGG COHEN Paid for by Re-Elect Gregg Cohen District Attorney 2010