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WEEKEND SEPTEMBER 4-5, 2010 Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com Ben Affleck’s softer side See Inside USAWeekend RED BLUFF Week 1 Preps Sports 1B Sunny 97/62 Weather forecast 8A By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer Former five-term Tehama County Sheriff Lyle Williams passed away of natural causes Friday morning in his Red Bluff home. He was 93. A fourth-generation Tehama County resident, Williams was born and raised on the outskirts of Corning in the care of sheep-ranching par- ents. One day a young Williams was invited by an officer to sit in his patrol car, daughter Jill Smith said. Years later, he would still recall it as his first experience with law enforcement. 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 Former Sheriff Williams passes away Williams was best known as a sheriff but spent two stints in the Red Bluff police officer and one as an undersheriff before he was elected in 1954. He won by 22 votes and hired on his competitor Phil Soncrant as a civil deputy. Over the next 20 years, Williams would provide local security for two men who would eventually become president — Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy — but Tehama County residents are more likely to remember his achievements as a “working sheriff” who was on duty at rodeos, fairs and student events, Smith said. “He would patrol dances and always make sure kids came home safe,” Smith said. Smith describes her father as the kind of man who would bring a hamhock and beans and help his prisoners cook their meals. The prisoners were people too, Smith recalled Williams telling her. Off duty, Williams may have been best known for his piano-playing. A skilled honky-tonk player, Williams had limited understanding of written music but picked up tunes by ear quickly. While seated at the piano was one of the few times he took his cowboy hat off, she said. Teddy bear picnic Williams in the late 60s and early 70s, said Williams was a man who kept his word and who balanced the needs of res- idents across the county. “The farmers needed one thing, he tried to provide that,” Ellis said. “The businessmen needed something and he tried to provide that. His deputies and staff needed another thing and he tried to provide that.” Williams was almost always successful, Ellis said. “He was square with every- Lyle Williams Charles Ellis, who served as a Gerber resident deputy and criminal investigator for body,” he said. Ellis also recalled a sheriff with a sense of humor — and time for practical jokes. See SHERIFF, page 7A Red Bluff man, 24, dies on Interstate-5 A 24-year-old Red Bluff man died in an early morn- ing accident on northbound Interstate 5, Friday. Courtney W. Garrett was driving his pickup truck near the Jellys Ferry off ramp around 2:13 a.m., when, for unknown reasons, his truck drifted off the east road edge, according to a California Highway Patrol press release. He lost control of the vehicle on the embankment and the truck began to roll down the hill. While the vehicle was rolling, Garrett was ejected from the vehi- cle and sustained fatal injuries. It is unknown whether he was wearing his seat belt at the time, CHP Officer Philip Mackintosh said. Alcohol has not been determined to be a factor pend- ing toxicology results from an autopsy, Mackintosh said. — Staff report Assembly limits media recording SACRAMENTO (AP) — The state Assembly this week began enforcing a long-forgotten rule that constrains media coverage of legislative debates by prohibiting audio or video recorders without permission. The rule requires reporters, television stations — and Daily News photo by Tang Lor Ben Penner asks Corduroy to give his bear Italy a hug while friend Hayden Hosler waits for his turn. By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer Bears at school may be an uncom- mon sight, but they were welcomed at Reeds Creek School Friday. Kindergartners brought along their favorite teddy bears and invited their parents to join them during a teddy bear picnic. Students said they liked bringing their bears to school to share with their friends. Bringing his bear Teddy means that Teddy doesn’t have to stay at home and play all by himself, Brayden Park- er said. What he loves most about his bear Teddy is that Teddy also loves him, Brayden said. Teddy says, “I love you” when Brayden presses Teddy’s hand. Although the students enjoyed spending time with their family and teddy bears, the favorite guest by far was Corduroy. The students have read a lot of Cor- duroy books and know a lot about him, teacher Karen Arrowsmith said. Ben Penner said he likes Corduroy because of the hugs and because Cor- duroy wears green overalls. Superintendent and Principal Jake Hosler said the event is a fun way to get students out of the classroom while teaching them valuable lessons. “Anything to help promote literacy is a good thing,” he said. There are a lot of different lessons from math to vocabulary and even social and speaking skills that can be taught using the teddy bears, Arrow- smith said. By allowing the students to bring their own bears to school it makes them comfortable and makes learning enjoyable. “It’s really important to make learn- ing fun,” Arrowsmith said. Inviting family members to lunch gets them involved with the classroom and their student’s education, Arrow- smith said. Parents agreed that was the main reason why they wanted to be there. Participation in any school activities is important because it supports the stu- dents and the school, said parent Crys- tal Norman. Troy and Jessica McCoy joined their son Hunter McCoy during the picnic. They wanted to be involved and spend time with Hunter, Jessica said. Aside from the teddy bear picnic, students also did a other activities with their bears, including playing teddy bear bingo and weighing their bears. ——— Tang Lor can be reached at 527- 2153, Ext. 110 or by e-mail at tlor@redbluffdailynews.com. Wings and Wheels Fun Day set for Sept. 11 The Third biennial Red Bluff Airport Wings and Wheels Fun Day is sched- uled 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Satur- day, Sept. 11, Patriots Day. The admission and park- ing are free and the commu- nity is invited to attend. There will be antique air- craft and classic cars on dis- play. Members of the Friday Night Car Club of Red Bluff, the Red Bluff Ghost Riders and the Contempo- rary Historical Vehicle Association, Mt. Shasta Region, will be displaying their classic vehicles. Antique aircraft from the Red Bluff Airport and sur- rounding Northern Califor- nia communities will be on display. The California Highway 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 Patrol turbine powered heli- copter, an L-29 and L-39 Delfin Jet (Czechoslovakian Air Force trainer), REACH and PHI Medical heli- copters, the Red Bluff Fire Department and many ultra light and homebuilt aircraft round out the display. Air Shasta will be offer- ing helicopter rides for $50 per person or $120 for three. The organizers of the Fun Day activities are mem- bers of the Tehama County Aviation Association. Hot dogs, hamburgers cold drinks, cold beer and pop- corn will be available for sale by the members of the association. The public is invited to come out to Red Bluff Air- port and spend a fun day Red Bluff Daily News Saturday delivery will be late due to the football coverage. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you. D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY (530) viewing some of the most interesting aircraft and clas- sic automobiles from around Northern California. For more information, call Irwin Fust at Nor Cal Light Sport Aircraft at 351- 8203. even lawmakers themselves — to receive advance permis- sion from the Assembly speaker’s office before recording or videotaping Assembly sessions. The state Senate does not have a similar rule. The rule dates to the days when Demo- crat Willie Brown served as Assembly speaker, a 15-year reign that ended in 1995. Media organizations and public policy groups objected Friday that the rule is outdated and that its enforcement comes at a time when lawmakers need to be open about their deliberations. The Assembly speak- er’s office then said it would back off its enforcement. ‘‘Listen, those legislators were elected by the public; they’re doing business on behalf of the public. Why would you want to cut access to what they’re doing?’’ said Anzio Williams, news director at KCRA-TV in Sacramento. ‘‘Our job is to get access for the public. If there’s something they don’t want us to see or hear, it probably shouldn’t be done.’’ The revival of the recording restriction was contained in eight pages of rules distributed to Assembly members in a July 29 memorandum from Speaker John Perez, D-Los Angeles, and other Assembly leaders of both parties. The enforcement of the rule came to light Friday, when The Sacramento Bee published a story saying reporters had been confronted recently about having recording devices while covering the Legislature. The story did not cite spe- cific examples of those confrontations. Reporters often use digital recorders to ensure their quotes of lawmakers and other public officials are accurate. Reporters for The Associated Press covered both houses of the Legislature at the end of its session this week and were not questioned about their use of audio recorders. The story said the Assembly’s sergeants-at-arms had begun enforcing the rule on members of the media and oth- ers who were recording or videotaping lawmakers. A spokesman for the Assembly speaker’s office, John Vigna, said enforcement of the rule was suspended Friday as media groups began to question it. ‘‘The speaker is directing that that will not be enforced,’’ Vigna said. ‘‘Reporters will be allowed to use devices on the floor.’’ Later Friday, Perez issued a statement saying that the See MEDIA, page 7A • “Main Street or Wall Street” banking, which do you want As Local As.... CALL TODAY 529-1222 237 South Main Street • Still offering better than free checking • Now offering Health Savings Accounts • Local decision making • Community Support