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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 Start Your Day Here Feature LosMo Volleyball Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 2A SPORTS 1B DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Mostly sunny 83/56 Weather forecast 6B TEHAMA COUNTY DAILY 50¢ 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 Secession fever rises on Calif.-Ore. border YREKA (AP) — Since the 1850s Gold Rush, some folks in the rugged hills and valleys of Northern California and Southern Oregon have felt they would be better off if they could break away and form their own state. That old secessionist feeling is rising again in counties along the Oregon-California border, triggered by a belief that those in the urban halls of power in both states ignored the needs and desires of those in the rural areas. This month, the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 in favor of a resolution from a local grassroots organization to make a new start and form a State of Jefferson. Other nearby counties are considering similar actions. The subject of secession was brought before the Tehama County Board of Supervisors during the Sept. 10 meeting's public comment period. There was no reply or action from the board. ''People have wanted to do this for a long time, but the types of legislation coming out of Sacramento this year literally caused people to say, 'This is the time,''' said Mark Baird, a radio station owner who drafted the resolution. While secessionist movements have percolated throughout U.S. history — there has been talk this year of new states being carved out of rural western Maryland, northern Colorado, Michigan's Upper Peninsula and River- Car show tops 2012 funds side County, Calif. — proponents have many hurdles to overcome. They need to get agreement from both the state legislature and Congress to create another state. And then there is drafting a state constitution and figuring out how to pay for it all. State of Jefferson supporters See FEVER, page 5A Crews contain destructive Clover Fire REDDING (AP) — Fire crews have fully contained a blaze that killed one man and destroyed nearly 70 homes in far northern California. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says the Clover Fire west of Redding was 100 percent contained Sunday morning, nearly a week after it started. The blaze charred nearly 13 square miles, destroyed 68 homes and 128 other structures, and killed 56-yearold Brian Stanley Henry. On Saturday, officials reopened a State Route 120 into Yosemite National Park that was closed for nearly three weeks because of the Rim Fire, which has burned nearly 400 square miles. The blaze is now about 80 percent contained. Also Saturday, firefighters fully contained a wildfire that burned nearly 5 square miles and forced evacuations in Mount Diablo State Park in Contra Costa County. School taxes concentrated in wealthier areas Daily News photo by Andre Byik David Sherrill, 51, of Chico, was awarded Best of Show for his 1966 Pontiac GTO at the Friday Knights Car Club annual Christmas 4 Kids car show Saturday at Red Bluff River Park. By ANDRE BYIK DN Staff Writer The Friday Knights Car Club annual Christmas 4 Kids car show at Red Bluff River Park on Saturday was estimated to bring in more than the $1,300 it raised last year. Money raised at the car show is used to bring the Christmas experience to those in need. More than 50 cars were proudly shown at the show overlooking the Sacramento River, with car enthusiasts traveling from as far north as Washington. "There's something about gasoline," club president Del Rowan said. "It's in your blood or it's not in your blood. If it's in your blood, being around cars, talking to somebody, 'What did you do? How did you do this? And where did you find the parts?' ... Just being around other people that have the same interest." The turnout, Rowan said, was "enthusiastic." "We're enthusiastic about automobiles and so are people that do this sort of thing," Rowan said. "They spend a lot of money just for the admiration of their peers." Rowan said that for the first time the show featured tractors, a result of a partnership with the NorCal Regulators suing closed Butte Community Bank directors, officers By LAURA URSENY MediaNews Group CHICO — Officers and directors of the failed Chico-based Butte Community Bank are being sued by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. for "negligence, gross negligence and breach of fiduciary duty." The FDIC filed a civil lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, in Sacramento, charging 11 individuals and trying to recover at least $8.8 million. At the time of its closure, the FDIC reported the cost of closing Butte Community Bank at $17.4 million. 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 The local defendants are listed as Robert Ching, Eugene Even, Donald LeForce, Ellis Matthews, Luther McLaughlin, Robert Morgan, James Rickards, Gary Strauss, Hubert Townshend, John Coger and Keith Robbins. Two directors were not sued: Charles Mathews, who resigned in 2009, and the late John Lanam, who died Sept. 11, 2010. The FDIC has asked for a jury trial. The bank was closed by the California Department of Financial Institutions on Aug. 20, 2010, and put into receivership with the FDIC. It was later purchased by Rabobank. The FDIC charges the former directors and officers "negligently, grossly See BANK, page 5A Tractor Club. Being in Tehama County, he said, showing tractors seemed liked the right fit. Money was raised through concession sales, raffle tickets and a 50-50 drawing. "The raffle prizes have been really good," Rowan said, adding, "We are going to exceed last year's $1,300. I feel safe in saying that." The car show, in its fourth year, featured such classics as Chevrolet Corvettes, Shelby Cobras and one Best of Show-winning 1966 Pontiac GTO. See CAR, page 5A SACRAMENTO (AP) — Lowering the vote threshold for California school parcel taxes likely would allow more of them to pass but probably would not have a significant effect on school funding statewide, according to a report released Monday from the Public Policy Institute of California. Parcel taxes are typically flat fees assessed on property to help raise additional money for school district operations and raise an average of $584 a year per pupil. A two-thirds vote is required to approve them, but some Democrats in the state Legislature want to lower that threshold to 55 percent. Successful attempts to pass parcel taxes tend to be concentrated in wealthier school districts, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area. The average median income is more than $85,000 in districts that have approved them, compared with about $60,000 in districts that have never proposed one, according to the institute's study. The study said it is unlikely that school parcel taxes would be widely adopted if the vote requirement were lower, based on what happened when California lowered See SCHOOL, page 5A Craft fair sees steady crowds By ANDRE BYIK DN Staff Writer Though the 15th fall craft fair at the Red Bluff Community and Senior Center on Saturday hosted fewer vendors than last year, the main floor was bustling with foot traffic throughout the day. Fairgoers browsed booths offering floral arrangements, dolls, jewelry, baseball caps and jams, to list a few. The fair this year was sponsored by both Red Bluff Community Center Auxiliary and Blues for the Pool, and funds raised, an estimated $3,000, were to go toward to the community center and the McGlynn Pool. Compared to last year, organizer Danielle Jackson said, the event seemed to be going better as some vendors were briskly going through their stock. Jackson estimated that more than 400 people walked through the center's doors on Saturday. Along a wall of the center's multipurpose room stood a booth headed by Janet, Sara and Daily News photo by Andre Byik Janet Boyd, middle, sells wire creations at the 15th fall craft fair at the Red Bluff Community and Senior Center on Saturday. Robert Boyd, of Rancho Tehama. Janet, 61, and Robert, 63, have been crafting for years. They started in woodworking and moved on to jewelry, but displayed at their booth was something different: intricately made wire bugs, with bodies made of brass, copper or nickel silver. Janet Boyd said the couple's stint in jewelry making was met with low sales. "I told my husband, let's start making bugs," she said. Those bugs made of wire, fit with eyes and thematic fixtures, such as olives and toy cars, captured the attention of fairgoers, Janet said. Robert Boyd said his interest in crafts was piqued in eighth grade. See CRAFT, page 5A