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WEDNESDAY Asparagus Athletes of the Week Means Spring APRIL 24, 2013 County Fare Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 3B SPORTS 1B DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Sunny 81/51 Weather forecast 6B TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Big rig tips, shuts I-5 By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Both lanes of Interstate 5 were reopened following a propane truck overturning about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in the area of Bowman Road in Cottonwood. According to the California Highway Patrol, reports of the major-injury crash were received at 8:29 a.m. followed by reports of the driver being trapped and smoke coming from the cab area of the big rig. A CalFire spokeswoman confirmed one person was flown from the scene and crews were on standby to mitigate any issues from offloading the big rig's contents, which included propane units. The ramp to Bowman Road was closed at 8:36 a.m. followed by reports that the driver might possibly be dead, however, CalFire advised just before 9 a.m. that the driver was alive. A helicopter, which was to land at the Cottonwood Scales, was called for a few minutes later, but remained airborne due to an extended extrication time. A hard closure at Gas Point Road was requested at 8:58 a.m. with further closures at Sunset Hills with a Caltrans unit assisting in turning around vehicles at Main Street and Lake California Drive. Southbound I-5 was reopened about 9:15 a.m. from Gas Point Road and Bowman with Lake California Drive remaining closed a bit longer. At 9:23 a.m., Caltrans was requested to turn on signs notifying traffic of the accident ahead due to traffic coming into the area too fast. Signs south of Red Bluff were also utilized to announce the closure 10 miles north of the town. In addition to traffic backing up from the closure, CHP was notified by a 911 caller at 9:44 a.m. that traffic on the northbound side was turning around south of the closure at Sunset Hills and almost causing 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 Solar proposal raises debate By RICH GREENE DN Staff Writer The Tehama County Board of Supervisors leaned heavily Tuesday toward shooting down a pair of proposed solar power facilities proposed on land contracted under the Williamson Act in the Paskenta area. A third project south of Red Bluff on the southwest corner of the Hatfield Road and Percell Lane intersection remained in limbo. The board tabled public hearings and decision on all three sites until its next meeting. At issue was whether the applicants could receive a compatibility use permit to lease small portions of their Williamson Act land to Pristine Sun for the purpose of building the facilities. See SOLAR, page 5A Update given on branding, economy By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Daily News photo by Chip Thompson Traffic backs up at the Sunset Hills overpass on Interstate 5 after a big rig overturned at Bowman Road. At one point, northbound traffic was stopped back to the Jellys Ferry Exit. collisions due to the speed of the drivers on southbound I-5. While northbound I-5 was reopened at 9:51 a.m., Lake California Drive remained closed, according to the CHP website. The Bowman off-ramp was reopened sometime Tuesday afternoon, CHP Officer Shaun Hoover said. Analyst: taxes coming in $4B above forecast SACRAMENTO (AP) — California is on track to collect $4 billion more in personal income taxes than Gov. Jerry Brown had expected, giving a potential boost to education funding, the legislative analyst's office said Tuesday. The state has been posting strong tax collections so far this fiscal year, which ends June 30. The analyst's office noted that tax collections continue to be robust even after the April 15 tax filing deadline. That comes on top of a strong revenue month in January. On Tuesday, the state collected $678 million after refunds, an unexpectedly strong figure. Personal income taxes are the state's largest revenue source, and April is generally the biggest revenue month of the year. Even so, Brown cautioned that the extra money might already be committed, and a state finance official said some could be from early tax withholdings. The governor and the legislative analyst noted that much or all of the extra revenue will likely be required to go to public DAILY 50¢ schools and community colleges under Proposition 98, the state's education funding formula. ''We have a very complicated mechanism called Prop. 98, and depending upon how the money flows, it may not be as available as many people are now thinking,'' Brown told reporters Tuesday. The Brown administration is interpreting the state's rules in a way that would require as much as 90 percent of extra revenue go toward public education, said Edgar Cabral, an education expert with the legislative analyst's office. ''You're looking at $3.5 billion or more would be required to be allocated to schools and community colleges to meet this higher Prop. 98 requirement,'' Cabral said in an interview. The analyst's office also cautioned lawmakers not to spend the extra money on ongoing education programs. Instead, it is recommending the state pay down education debt and past obligations to schools. ''It will be additional money for schools, but it may not necessarily mean that schools are going to go right ahead and then start hiring additional teachers, because it could be one-time in nature,'' Cabral said. Full opening of the lanes took place about 10:45 a.m., CHP Officer Ken Reineman said. Nothing further was available Tuesday afternoon. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @DN_Zeeb. Updates on Phase II of the Tehama County Branding Project, the local community and forecasts for the economic future were given Tuesday at the annual Seeds of Opportunity conference. Job Training Center CEO and Branding Leadership Team Member Kathy Sarmiento gave a list of the top 20 things the project is working on in the second phase, which is product development. The branding project, a grassroots effort started in 2009 by a group of individuals and businesses to help make Tehama County a more attractive tourist destination, created the brand "Tehama Country: Reach Your Peak" under which the umbrella brands for each city was developed during the first phase. The top 20 list is split into six categories including lure, diversions, icon, amenities, ambiance and brand ownership. Under lure falls Lassen Peak as the county's primary lure and the need for a strengthening of recreational activities, festivals, events and classes not just for tourism, but to fully engage locals in the Lassen experience, Sarmiento said. There is a need to support the Manton brand of California's Mountain Winery and to build a Red Bluff Adventure Center to offer visitors a one-stop location for rentals, excursions, tours, retail outfitters, etc., See UPDATE, page 5A Melee at Dog Island this weekend Yanks and "Rebs clash once again at Samuel Ayres and Dog Island parks to close out another busy April in Red Bluff. The ninth annual Civil War reenactment takes place on Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28 at the lush green park on Main Street. Cavalry and skirmishers will probe enemy positions, and musket and cannon fire will once more roar during two daily battles at noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday. The site will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors can stroll Dog Island's well-shaded trails and visit Confederate, Union and Civilian camps, where they can talk in first person with the occupants and learn about life during the War Between the States. The battles reconstruct the sights and sounds of Civil War fighting, with authentic tactics and weapons. Be prepared to "advance and give the countersign" as Union and Confederate pickets may be encountered on some of the park's back trails. Courtesy photo Visitors may once again be treated to the martial strains of historical fife and drum as well as brass band music. Before and after the battles, there will be live demonstrations of artillery, cavalry and infantry drills, as well as civilian life. All of this will take place in the natural setting of Dog Island, free from modern sights and sounds and eerily reminiscent of several Friends of Nell Coffman are cordially invited to a celebration of her 100th Birthday at the Red Bluff Elks Lodge on Friday, April 26th from 11am-2pm. famous battlefields, including The Peninsula, Chancellorsville and the Wilderness, where some of the Civil War's fiercest fighting took place. Hosting the event are the Third Excelsior Association, 72nd New York Volunteer Infantry, one of several units which make up the Federal Brigade of the Reenactors of the American Civil War (RACW). Many members of the 72nd live in Red Bluff and surrounding communities. The RACW is comprised of several Union and Confederate infantry, artillery and cavalry units, as well as a large civilian contingent. Many Civilian Corps members also live in Red Bluff and Tehama County and help the 72nd See MELEE, page 5A PHYSICIAN REFERRAL Smog Inspection $ 2595 +$825 certificate (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) • Member Discount 530 527-9841 195 S. Main St., Red Bluff A FREE SERVICE PROVIDED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE 1-888-628-1948