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Thursday, July 15, 2010 – Daily News – 7A Death Notice Robert C. Nowak Robert C. Nowak, a 23-year Tehama County resi- dent, died Friday, July 9, 2010, in Corning. He was 85. Hoyt-Cole Chapel of the Flowers is handling the arrangements. Published Thursday, July 15, 2010, in the Daily News, Red Bluff, Calif. VICTIM Continued from page 1A had all played together growing up, Harriet Steiger said. “There was not a per- son I know who disliked him,” Harriet Steiger said. “He was just warm and BIGGER Continued from page 1A founding member of Next Tehama, a group of young people seeking to rebuild prosperity in the community. Grissom is a part of Red Bluff Rebound, a group tasked with identifying and highlighting areas for revital- ization, and has worked on Tehama Trail, which aims to give visitors alternative local attractions. Grissom involved in Expect More Tehama, which works to increase graduation rates of Tehama County high school students and the num- ber of those going on to higher education or training. Grissom helped create a unified marketing campaign for a diverse group of events held around the Red Bluff Round-Up. “Kate’s long list of contri- butions to the community is far from a complete record of her actions but leaves no doubt of the incredibly posi- tive influence she has on her community,” Gonczeruk wrote. “Kate is also willing to go beyond and help those in need.” In 2008, when the gener- al manager of Chico Velo CLOSET Continued from page 1A On learning this, police returned to the scene of the crime to interview neigh- bors. On their way out, they received a 911 hang-up call from inside Stroble’s resi- dence. When they returned, an anonymous tip told them tender.” “It’s brought heartache and sorrow to the two kids I love the most,” she said. ——— Geoff Johnson can be reached at 527-2153, extension 114 or gjohnson@redbluffdailyn ews.com. Cycling Club was paralyzed in a cycling accident, Gris- som volunteered to reorga- nize and rejuvenate the bik- ing community to put on the Wildflower Century, a 100- mile bike ride that attracts more than 3,000 people to the North State, Gonczeruk said. As one of two winners of the Bigger than Business Campaign, Grissom will have $2,500 donated to a local food bank in her name. “We’re still not sure what food bank will be the recipi- ent of the donation, however, if we had our choice we’d see that it went to The Vine- yard Church to supply goods for their food pantry,” Gris- som said. The Canadian winner was Kari Smith’s submis- sion on Kamloops Food Bank volunteer Harry Wright of Kamloops, British Columbia. For more information on the campaign or to view other submissions visit http://biggerthanbusiness.blo gspot.com/. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.co m. Stroble was hiding in the bedroom, the statement said. Following up on the tip, deputies found Stroble hid- ing in the closet, the release said. He was arrested on suspi- cion of two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of criminal threats. Bail was set at $115,000. California Chief Justice stepping down SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Municipal Court. California Chief Justice Ron George announced his retirement Wednesday, stunning colleagues and court watchers who saw him issue the opinion that briefly legal- ized gay marriage and passionate- ly work to consolidate the state’s once Byzantine court system. George said he timed his deci- sion in part so Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger could name his successor. The two have worked together on budgetary matters and are seen as political allies. Both leave office on Jan. 2, meaning the gov- ernor has until Sept. 16 to name a successor. George said he respected the track record of Schwarzenegger in appointing people to the bench and had been asked for advice on selecting a new chief justice. George said his 70th birthday this year led him to contemplate retiring from the post to which he was appointed by Gov. Pete Wil- son in 1996. ‘‘Reflection convinced me now is the right time while I am at the top of my game to leave while the proverbial music still plays, and return to private life,’’ George said. George first joined the high court in 1991 after serving four years as an appellate judge. He began his judicial career in 1972 when Gov. Ronald Reagan appointed him to the Los Angeles KANSAS CITY, Mo. (MCT) — Two promi- nent black leaders downplayed criticism of the tea party movement Wednesday after con- servatives nationwide took aim at an NAACP resolution alleging "ele- ments" of tea party racism. The Rev. Jesse Jack- son Jr. told reporters in Kansas City that the focus on the tea party was a "diversion" from more important issues, while NAACP President Ben Jealous said the resolution was just a small part of a bigger agenda and blamed the media for focusing too much on the tea party. "I give a 42-page speech. Half a page is focused on the tea party," Jealous said. "We need the media to pay attention to the issues that are most The chief justice grabbed noto- riety with his written opinion in 2008 after the court legalized gay marriage in California. Voters overturned that decision a year later. He is also lauded for his admin- istrative accomplishments, includ- ing bringing all 58 county court systems under state control, which insured equitable funding for all courthouses in the country’s largest court system. ‘‘His commitment to the judi- cial branch and his vision of state trial court funding made sure that access to justice in California was real, not just a slogan,’’ state Sen- ate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said. Santa Clara University law pro- fessor Gerald Uelmen agreed that George’s administrative accom- plishments were significant. ‘‘He is one of our great chief justices in terms of his administra- tion of the courts,’’ Uelmen said. Uelmen also credited George with creating a collegial atmos- phere on the seven-judge high court that rarely dissented. When there was disagreement, George often stepped up to write the majority opinion, as he did when the court legalized gay marriage. George himself cited the colle- giality of the courts as one of his lasting legacies during an hour- long chat with reporters in his spa- cious San Francisco office. It was important to this coun- try" such as jobs, edu- cation and crime. Conservatives react- ed angrily after learning of the resolution, approved by delegates at the NAACP's nation- al convention this week in Kansas City. "The charge that Tea Party Americans judge people by the color of their skin is false, appalling, and is a regressive and diver- sionary tactic to change the subject at hand," former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said in a statement on a Facebook page. Columnist Cynthia Tucker, who is black, called the resolution "inappropriate, narrow- minded and divisive," while Timothy Johnson of the Frederick Dou- glass Foundation said "the NAACP no longer the same place he broke the news of his retirement to his colleagues hours earlier during their weekly meeting to decide what new cases to take. George said those surprised col- leagues exchanged tearful embraces when they heard he was leaving the bench. George said the crippling bud- get problems of the court system and outspoken complaints by some judges about his support of a cost- ly new computer system and sever- al major construction projects played no role in his decision to retire. He said he always endured problems and criticism during his tenure as chief justice. Quitting his job over the problems would be like ‘‘canceling a trip to Yosemite because there are ants on the trail,’’ he said. He has expressed dissatisfac- tion with the state’s death penalty system, which he called dysfunc- tional. He told reporters last year that considering the automatic appeals of all death row inmates consumed more than a quarter of the court’s time. A federal judge suspended exe- cutions in California in 2006, and the practice isn’t close to resum- ing. There are 702 death row inmates in the state. George said he wasn’t seeking another job and would spend his time reading, traveling and visiting with family. Black leaders downplay NAACP's criticism of tea party speaks for the average African-American ... the Tea Party movement has nothing to do with race." An NAACP spokesman said the exact words of the tea party resolution were not available Wednes- day evening, and might not be available until October, when the NAACP board meets to consider ratifying the language. But spokesman Chris Fleming said: "We're not condemning the tea party at all.... We're condemning some racist elements within the movement." The Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network said tea partiers emphasized states' rights, which he said would lead to more discrimination against minorities. But he said the civil rights commu- nity should respond to the tea party movement with its own activities and marches. "I'm not mad at the tea party for rallying," Sharpton told hundreds of delegates. "I'm mad that we're not rallying ....We've given them center stage." Sharpton and others at a news conference urged supporters to par- ticipate in a planned march in Washington in October. And they said they would organize protests around a planned march in late August by conservative talk show host Glenn Beck. Beck's march is meant in part to com- memorate the August 1963 March on Wash- ington involving the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Brown sues feds over renewable energy loans SACRAMENTO (AP) — State Attorney General Jerry Brown sued the fed- eral government Wednes- day, asking a judge to stop government-sponsored mortgage buyers from blocking a program that lets homeowners pay for energy-efficient improve- ments through increased property taxes. Brown’s lawsuit argues that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s opposition is forcing California counties to halt plans to provide the incentives. He sued the buyers and their regulatory agency, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, in Oakland U.S. District Court. The voluntary Property Assessed Clean Energy program encourages homeowners to install solar panels, upgrade insulation and take other steps to improve energy efficiency, Brown said. Homeowners pay for the improvements through property tax assessments over a decade or more. Fannie Mae and Fred- die Mac say the programs could give counties top priority to be repaid if homeowners default on their mortgages. As a result, they said they could not buy or guaran- tee mortgages on proper- ties that participate. The Federal Housing Finance Agency affirmed that legal interpretation July 6. ‘‘Mortgage holders should not be forced to absorb new credit risks after they have already purchased or guaranteed a mortgage,’’ Acting Direc- tor Edward J. DeMarco said Wednesday. DeMarco said in a statement that his agency will fight Brown’s lawsuit in order to protect taxpay- ers, lenders and both mortgage programs. Freddie Mac spokesman Brad German and Fannie Mae spokes- woman Janice Smith declined to comment. Brown, the Democratic nominee for governor, argues in his lawsuit that the government incorrect- ly interprets the program as providing loans. He says they are classified under California law as tax assessments, which would require new own- ers to take over the pay- ments if a home is sold before the improvements are paid off. Other states have or are considering allowing sim- ilar programs. The government is try- ing to nip a national development that has seen a recent surge spurred by the distribution of federal stimulus money, said Martin Chavez, executive director of Local Govern- ments for Sustainability USA Inc. in Washington, D.C. Twenty-three states have passed laws permit- ting programs like the one in California, and legisla- tion is pending in most other states, Chavez said. He promoted similar pro- grams during his three terms as mayor of Albu- querque, N.M. ‘‘They’re really hot and they’re a great tool for homeowners to retrofit homes,’’ Chavez said. Brown said in a written statement that the federal government is ‘‘throwing up impermeable barriers to bank lending that cre- ates jobs, stimulates the economy and boosts clean energy.’’ He announced the law- suit in San Diego County, one of dozens of counties in California that stopped offering or preparing to offer the incentives after officials warned in May that they could violate federal rules. As a result of the feder- al government’s interpre- tation, some lenders start- ed requiring homeowners to repay the full amount of their improvements before they could sell or Located in Chico, CA Combining Quality and Low Cost is what we do. 529-3655 www.affordablemortuary.net refinance their homes. The uncertainty led counties to halt the pro- grams while Brown, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state’s congres- sional delegation lobbied the Federal Housing Finance Agency to permit the incentives. California’s program promotes energy indepen- dence, Schwarzenegger said in a statement back- ing the lawsuit. Doing away with the program ‘‘would be preposterous,’’ he said. Congress created Fan- nie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy mortgages from lenders and package them into bonds that are resold to investors. They own or guarantee about half of all mortgages, or nearly 31 million home loans worth about $5.5 trillion. The suit asks a federal judge to order Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to let the program go for- ward under California’s interpretation of the law. The federal govern- ment’s stance could cost California more than $100 million in federal stimulus money, Brown said. The state has devoted millions of dollars in fed- eral stimulus and federal energy efficiency grant money to the programs, Brown said. State law- makers approved legisla- tion by Democratic Sen. Fran Pavley creating a $50 million fund to encourage the energy effi- ciency program, and Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law in April. The program was prov- ing popular before it was halted, Brown said. Sonoma County had financed more than 800 solar and other projects worth more than $30 mil- lion, and Placer County was seeing about $2 mil- lion a month in applica- tions before the program abruptly stopped. San Diego’s program was sup- posed to start this sum- mer, and Brown said its suspension left more than 100 people trained in energy retrofits without jobs. Over 50 years of serving Tehama County Independently owned Telephone: (530) 824-3792