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FRIDAY Learning Communities NOVEMBER 1, 2013 Cheer Champs Education Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 5A SPORTS 1B DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Sunny 76/48 Weather forecast 10A 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 Mighty o ak Fairground deal moves forward Special to the DN A vote by the Tehama District Fair board at its October meeting makes the long-studied Joint Powers Authority (JPA) much closer to reality. The vote directs the board to send a letter to Karen Ross, the California Secretary of Agriculture, informing her of the widespread community support for the idea and the intent to go forward with the arrangement. The JPA will be a cooperative effort of the Fair Board and Tehama County to keep the facility operating for years. A member of the audience at the board meeting commented that "sending this letter is a big step towards what the community needs and wants for a bright future of the fairground." Several in attendance made presentations to the board urging action on the issue. They each stated that the facility is used throughout the year for a wide variety of events and that the JPA will allow the use to continue well into the future. Board member Linda Durrer read a letter informing Ross that the overwhelming support from the community and the county indicates that the JPA is a solution to difficulties with the operation. See DEAL, page 9A Daily News photo by Rich Greene Plans for the new Walmart Supercenter at Luther Road and Mill Street include incorporating a historic oak tree. Cell provider boosts local data speed DN Staff Report Supercenter to spare historic tree By RICH GREENE DN Staff Writer Since the economic downturn the Red Bluff Planning Commission has met irregularly — when it does meet, such as Tuesday — commissioners often take advantage of the time to get an update on the forthcoming Walmart Supercenter project. When the agenda rolled around to an update on future items, commissioners sprung some questions on Planning Director Scot Timboe about the store's status. "Walmart's a long ways along," Timboe said, adding that Red Bluff staff was finalizing comments on the company's first submittal of plans in the next few weeks. Timboe said Walmart has asked for all its approvals to be granted at the same time for the Supercenter, to be built at the corner of Luther Road and Mill Street. He said the company would spend around $22 million, a total that not only covers the cost of the store, but also expansive mitigation efforts. Timboe said the work extends up to the Interstate 5 on an off ramps on South Main Street, including the replacement of a pair of traffic signals and road and curb improvements near the dirt lot next to Wendy's. "When people get on that road, it's going to be a pretty nice presentation in the future," Timboe said. Asked about the future of a historic oak tree in the vicinity of the Supercenter project, Timboe said the tree as well as a series of oaks to the west of the property had been incorporated into the company's submitted plans. "I think we saved it," he said. Timboe said those trees would give the project a better looking appearance than Walmarts in other cities. Rich Greene can be reached at 527-2151, ext. 109 or rgreene@redbluffdailynews.com. AT&T has upgraded its high-speed wireless communication network in Red Bluff and Redding. The company announced in a press release this week that it has turned on its 4G LTE network. "We continue to see demand for mobile Internet skyrocket, and our 4G LTE network in Redding and Red Bluff responds to what customers want from their mobile experience — more, faster, reliably, on the best services," said Vice President and General Manager for Northern California and northern Nevada Terry Stenzel. LTE technology offers lower latency, the processing time it takes to move data through a network, such as how long it takes to start downloading a webpage or file once a request has been made. The Red Bluff and Redding project is part of a three-year infrastructure investment plan from the company. The company plans to add more than 10,000 macro cell sites to add to its network nationwide by 2015 as well as 40,000 small cells and 1,000 Distributed Antenna Systems. Feds renew threat Corning bank offers Tesla charging to withhold Calif. school funds SACRAMENTO (AP) — Federal education officials renewed a threat this week to withhold funds from California if it moves forward this spring with a plan to abandon the standardized tests the state's public school students have taken since 1999. The U.S. Department of Education informed state officials through a letter that more than $3.5 billion in federal aid for disadvantaged students is at stake in the dispute, the San Jose Mercury News reports. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Deborah Delisle wrote that federal officials support the new computerized tests California wants to give students in grades 3-8 and 11 on a trial basis. But Delisle says the state's plan to have students take either the math or language sections and not report the 2014 test results for individual students or schools would be out of compliance with federal law — specifically the provisions of the No Child Left Behind that 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 require students from 3rd grade on to be tested in both areas every year and school-wide scores to be made public. ''We are concerned that failure to comply with this requirement would have a negative impact on students, particularly at-risk students such as English Learners, students with disabilities and lowincome students,'' she wrote. California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and State Board of Education President Michael Kirst issued a statement saying they remain committed to launching the new tests statewide and hopeful they will be able to satisfy the concerns of federal officials. ''To the extent there is disagreement with the federal government, there is a process for addressing it, and we'll continue to work with officials in Washington,'' they said. ''Federal officials have never before taken money out of classrooms, and we would hope and expect that they would not start now.'' California is seeking to replace the pencil-andpaper, multiple-choice See FEDS, page 9A By ANDRE BYIK DN Staff Writer CORNING — Starting point: San Diego. Destination: Vancouver, Canada. Fuel cost: $0. A group of Tesla Motors Inc. representatives and a few Model S owners rolled in to a Rabobank here on Thursday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony that celebrated the opening of a Tesla Supercharger station. The ceremony was coordinated with Tesla's Drive Free campaign and the opening of its West Coast Supercharger Corridor, which comprises 16 Supercharger stations from San Diego to Washington and come at no charge to Model S owners. On Wednesday two Tesla Model S luxury vehicles started their 1,700-mile road trip from San Diego to Vancouver to show that owning an all-electric car doesn't mean sticking to shorter commutes. "There's a sort of romance and freedom to be able to take a road trip," said Tesla Motors spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson, whose trip took her from San Diego, along U.S. Route 101 and into San Francisco on Wednesday. Then to Corning and Mt. Shasta on Thursday. In all, Georgeson said her Model S would stop at 13 of the 16 stations on Daily News photo by Andre Byik Corning Mayor Gary Strack, left, and Tesla Motors spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson speak during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a Tesla Supercharger station at a Rabobank in Corning on Thursday. the way to Vancouver. The 120-kilowatt Supercharger stations can supply a Model S with a 50-percent charge in 20 minutes, and an 80 percent charge in 40 minutes, Georgeson said. In 20 minutes, she said, the stations can allow the car to travel about 150 more miles. Six charging stalls line an area near the Corning bank on State Route 99W. "Compare that to typical public charging stations, which are about 32 miles in an hour of charging," Georgeson said. A Model S, which can go for about $70,000 to $80,000, can travel about 265 miles — give or take on the type of driving one does — on a full charge. "The last missing link to make this a no-compro- mise car was to enable long-distance travel," Georgeson said. On hand for the ribbon cutting were Corning See TESLA, page 9A PUMPKINLAND Vine Ripened Smog Inspection 2595 89¢ lb $ +$825 certificate (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) • Members Welcome 530 527-9841 195 S. Main St., Red Bluff Fuyu Persimmons 75¢ lb 12000 Hwy. 99E 6 miles South of Red Bluff (530) 527-3026