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TUESDAY JUNE 22, 2010 Breaking news at: The Race Goes On American Profile www.redbluffdailynews.com See Inside RED BLUFF Wimbledon Under Way SPORTS 1B Mostly Sunny 96/65 Weather forecast 8B DAILYNEWS TEHAMACOUNTY DAILY 50¢ T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Man gets life term for burning girlfriend A Red Bluff man has been sentenced to the maximum term for burning his live-in girlfriend. Joseph Anthony Verni, Jr., was sentenced to life in prison Monday. He had entered a guilty plea to aggra- vated mayhem in May. Verni was arrested July 6, 2009, at Kimball Crossing Apartments for reportedly pouring a flammable liquid on his live-in girlfriend and lighting her on fire. The woman's two children, an 8- year-old boy and a 7- year-old girl, were home at the time of the incident, but were not injured. The woman survived after treatment at the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramen- to. Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Skillman, who pros- ecuted the case and argued Clinic grows for a life term, is satisfied with the result, he said. Among some of the rea- sons Judge Dennis Murray gave for the maximum sen- tence were that Verni seemed to show no remorse for what had done and fully under- stood what he was doing, Skillman said. At one point in the case, Verni had pleaded innocent by reason of insanity. The victim was present during the sentencing but did not speak before the judge, Skillman said. Staff report Group to pitch video display By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer A giant video billboard that screams every- thing Red Bluff will attract more people the city, meaning more dollars spent in the community and ultimately, an increased profit line for the city and local businesses. At least that is what a group called Red Bluff Rebound is predicting will happen. The group has come up with a list of ideas it thinks the city should implement or support to stimulate Red Bluff’s economy, said Bill Moule, chairman of Red Bluff-Tehama County Cham- ber of Commerce’s Local Government Commit- tee. Modeled after Redding’s Radical 10 in 10, Red Bluff Rebound’s 10 proposals are meant to stimulate the economy and create jobs. “This is to promote our economy and jobs without depending on the county and Sacramen- to,” Moule said at a recent City Council meeting. The group has met at least six times since March to hone the ideas and is ready to present them to the council at 6:30 tonight at City Hall, 555 Washington St. Some of the proposals are worth exploring, said City Manager Martin Nichols, who, along with other city staff, participated in the group’s meetings. While all the ideas are possible, it really comes down to which ones the council wants to further pursue. Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Greenville Rancheria Tribal Health, 1425 Montgomery Road, will be holding a grand opening for its new building, pictured above, which is located behind the old one from noon to 2 p.m. on July 9. New expansion will broaden services offered community By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Construction is complete on the new building at Greenville Rancheria Tribal Health, 1425 Montgomery Road, and a grand opening has been set for noon to 2 p.m. July 9. “We’re very excited,” said Crystal Rios, a member of Senate Dems propose government realign SACRAMENTO (AP) — Looking to lighten the state’s load, Senate Democrats on Monday proposed to restructure California government by handing counties more responsibility over administering public ser- vices. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said California’s 58 counties should take more responsibility over public safety and social service programs that they currently share with the state. Steinberg said the realignment would help close California’s $19 billion budget deficit, although he could not say how much it would immediately save the state. ‘‘We know if we do this, that we can narrow the remaining deficit for this year to a very small number,’’ Steinberg said. The Democratic pro- posal would help coun- ties pay for doing the extra work by making permanent a temporary vehicle tax hike. It would delay by two years the implementation of cor- porate tax breaks that are set to take effect next year. The state would also impose a new oil tax or change the current sales tax formula to cover costs. Separately, Democrats have also pro- posed giving local gov- ernments authority to raise taxes with less than a two-thirds vote. Assembly Republican Leader Martin Garrick criticized the plan as increasing government spending. ‘‘Senate Democrats’ so-called reforms are just another ploy to continue to raise taxes on hard- working Californians and grow the size of gov- ernment,’’ Garrick said in a statement Monday. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Republicans have opposed any new taxes as part of budget discus- sions. Lawmakers have already missed a June 15 constitutional deadline to 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 See DEMS, page 7A the Tribal Council. Construction for the $1.6 million building started in July 2009, said Dr. Margaret Alspaugh, a rheumatologist with Greenville. “It was a big undertaking for a one-tribe organization,” Alspaugh said. “Basically the new services we’re going to have are diabetic education, nutrition, physical, therapy a dental lab, podiatry and psychiatry. We’ll be showing peo- ple around. People are welcome to see the old portion and the new.” In order to accommodate the new services, the clinic See CLINIC, page 7A No. 1 on the list is to set up a full-video bill- board along Interstate 5 just north of the Dia- mond Avenue on ramp facing northbound traf- fic. The billboard would be updated hourly to spotlight the goings-on in Red Bluff for travelers heading up the interstate. Major events, such as the Round-Up, and the city’s marketing brand would be highlighted. The billboard may cost from $200,000 to $300,000 and would be paid for through grants, private contributions, business and government loans. There is no fiscal contribution from the city for the project, but it would have to authorize access to the property where the billboard would sit, Nichols said. See VIDEO, page 7A Fire volunteers donate for life-saving device By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer With the presentation of a check from the Red Bluff Volunteer Fire Department, the third Automated External Defibrillator will soon be ordered and on its way to the Red Bluff Union High School campus. “I want to really thank the community for their generous donations, espe- cially the students who contributed about a third of the money to purchase the defibrillator and weather proof cabinet,” said Capt. Dom Catona. Students, using mostly spare pocket change, donated about $1,200 of the $3,429.22 brought in by the community, he said. The department held a boot drive fundraiser at the high school April 23 and collected donations from the community to purchase the defibrillator. “This defibrillator will be mounted in an alarmed, weather proof cabinet out- side near the football field and track,” Catona said. The minute the cabinet holding the defibrillator is opened it sends an alarm to let the fire department know and the device can- See FIRE, page 7A Courtesy photo Members of the Red Bluff Volunteer Fire Department presented a check recently to Red Bluff Union High School for the purchase of a third Automated External Defibrillator. From left, are Principal Patrick Gleason, Red Bluff Fire Capt. Dom Catona, engineers Matt Shobash and Mark Moyer and District Nurse Karrie Roth. COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR Smog Inspection $ 2995 + cert. (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) Pass or FREE retest 195 S. Main St. Red Bluff 530 527-9841 ARTHRITIS, AND POST SURGERY. DR. SWAIM’S PAIN CREAM NOW AVAILABLE IN OUR OFFICE AT 2530 SR MARY COLUMBA DR. RED BLUFF, CA 96080 (530) 527-7584 STOP THE PAIN FROM NEUROPATHY, SHINGLES,