Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/20828
DA Continued from page 1A ney General’s approval,” Cohen said in the release. Councilman John Leach and resident Dean Cofer, who ran for mayor and lost, have question Lopez’s eligibility because Lopez, who was on the Library Commis- sion and serves on the Planning Commission, pled guilty to a single count of felony forgery in 2005. Court records show the felony charge was declared to be a misde- meanor by Tehama Coun- ty Courts after Lopez completed a 36-month probationary period. Leach and Cofer sent letters to Cohen and Clerk-Recorder Bev Ross that cite the California Government Code, which said a person cannot hold office if convicted of crimes designated in the state constitution, which include bribery, perjury, forgery, malfeasance in office or other high crimes. Leach said Lopez should never have been appointed to the Library or the Planning commis- sions and questioned the legality of his candidacy for City Council. CRASH Continued from page 1A Subaru, Jessie Farris, 70, of Redding, received major injuries to the neck area and was taken by ambulance to St. Elizabeth Community Hospital. The driver of the Explorer, Dexter Rogers, 60, of Redding, was taken by ambulance to St. Elizabeth Community Hospital with minor injuries. His passengers, Lassen View students Rachel and Hannah Rogers, both of Redding, received minor injuries but sought their own medical aid. Obama makes surprise visit to Afghanistan BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (AP) — In a rousing holiday- season visit, President Barack Obama on Friday told cheering U.S. troops in Afghanistan they’re succeeding in their vital mission fighting terror- ism. But after he flew in secrecy for 14 hours to get here, foul weather kept him from nearby Kabul and a meeting to address frayed relations with Afghan President Hamid Karzai Obama’s surprise visit to the war zone, his sec- ond as president, came 10 days before he is to address the nation about a new review of U.S. strate- gy to defeat the Taliban and strengthen the Afghan government so American troops can begin leaving next year. The trip also came at a particularly awkward moment in already strained U.S. relations with Afghanistan because of new and embarrassing leaked cables alleging widespread fraud and underscoring deep Ameri- can concerns about Karzai. There was no mention of that as the president spoke to more than 3,500 service members packed into a huge airplane hangar. After his remarks, he spent more than 10 minutes shaking hands, going around the hangar three times as they grabbed his hand and held cameras and cell phones high to take photos. Obama stayed on this U.S. military base, the headquarters of the 101st Airborne Division, the entire time he was here, just under four hours. He huddled with U.S. Gen. David Petraeus, the top NATO commander in Afghanistan and U.S. Ambassador Karl Eiken- berry. And he visited wounded soldiers at a base hospital, personally dispensing five Purple Hearts to wounded ser- vice members. John Boehner vows GOP will extend tax cuts WASHINGTON (AP) — With unemployment rising, incoming House Speaker John Boehner vowed Friday that Repub- licans will show the way toward extending tax cuts in 2011 if the outgoing Democrats fail to do it sooner. Boehner, R-Ohio, made his comment as par- tisan wrangling in the Senate slowed attempts to In a Nov. 9 letter to both men, Ross said that her office was not able to provide a suitable forum for a resolution to such a potentially complex legal and factual determination of a candidate’s eligibility. Ross suggested Leach and Cofer consult legal counsel regarding the appropriate process for challenging a candidate’s eligibility. In the meantime, Corn- ing City Manager Steve Kimbrough has said City Attorney Mike Fitzpatrick has been looking into the matter. Fitzpatrick is expected to give his opin- ion Tuesday, but it may take longer, Kimbrough said. Lopez, who was sup- posed to be sworn in at 7 p.m. Tuesday, previously said he is just going to sit back, wait and see what happens. “I can’t think it’s some- thing personal,” Lopez said of the letter. “They’re just doing their part to stay involved and trying to make sure everything’s on the up and up.” ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews. com. GIRLS Continued from page 1A attended the Shasta Cas- cade Logging conference, where Sarah Palin was a guest speaker, and at a friends suggestion put together a package. “We laughed saying ‘hey, maybe one day she’ll be in a magazine wearing our clothing,’” Adams said. TROOP Continued from page 1A Chaney said. “I know the sacrifices that are made. I have a deep respect and appreciation for all veterans. I really think about my freedoms and how they were achieved. I get it that freedom is not free, so many have earned it for us. I am so thankful to live in the United States.” Donations can be dropped off at HeartFelt Designs Gallery, 623 Main St., or at Reeds Creek School, 18335 Johnson Road. For information about the Mili- tary Family Support Group, call Beth or Bob Chaney at 529-2416 or Chuck and Kathy Peters at 529- 1852. Mail monetary donations to Military Family Support Group, PO Box 8997, Red Bluff, CA 96080. PERK Continued from page 1A request. The Senate will review the program as it seeks to reduce its operating costs for the third consecutive year, Nathan Barankin, spokesman for Senate Presi- dent Pro Tem Darrell Stein- berg, said Friday in response to the AP’s story. ‘‘The real question is, is there a cheaper, more effi- cient way of providing trans- portation for lawmakers to pass legislation ensuring that tax cuts enacted in 2001 and 2003 don’t expire. The White House has signaled that President Barack Obama is pre- pared to sign a bill extending tax cuts at all levels, as Republicans want. At the same time, Democrats want the bill to include an extension of unemployment benefits for the long-term unem- ployed, renewal of tax provisions benefiting col- lege students, companies that hire the jobless and lower- and middle- income workers, even if they don’t make enough to pay federal taxes. Additionally, private talks include a possible increase in the debt limit to permit the Treasury to borrow funds needed to meet its obligations. But Senate Democrats, who propose allowing tax cuts to lapse for the upper income, accused Republi- cans of favoring million- aires and billionaires at the expense of the middle class. Marines, Army ask Congress not to lift gay ban WASHINGTON (AP) — Bucking the Pentagon’s top leaders, the chiefs of the Not knowing if the package made it to Palin, the girls were surprised and excited to get a call from Mark Burnett Pro- ductions to get their per- mission to use footage of Palin wearing their prod- ucts in her new reality show. The show, “Sarah Palin’s Alaska,” will fea- ture Palin wearing Girls with Guns clothing at 6 p.m. Sunday on TLC, Har- man said. Saturday, December 4, 2010 – Daily News – 7A Bluff outlet.” Products are available at The Loft, 501 Madison St., in Red Bluff. “Paul, Kit and Donna are really in our corner,” Harman said. “It’s a good fit for us.” Paul and Kit Reynolds, who own The Loft and Reynolds Ranch and Farm Supply, agree. “These girls are both great to work with,” Paul Reynolds said. “It’s great merchandise and we’re delighted to be the Red In the spring, Girls with Guns is planning a launch party for a whole new line, which will include a gun bag line, suitcases, sweat- shirts, shirts, hats, beanies and more, Adams said. For more, visit www.gwgclothing.com. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews. com. Want to help? A list of things the troops could use: Snacks Jerky, beef sticks Candy bars Sun flower seeds Microwave popcorn Nuts Snack Mix Granola bar Cookies Energy Drinks Filled crackers Microwave soups Pringles (small) Canned fruit Chewy fruit snacks Hard candy Gum Hot Cocoa packets Drink mix packets do their job?’’ he said. The compensation and benefits given to California lawmakers has come under intense criticism in the past year. Legislative officials fought an 18 percent cut in lawmakers’ pay and benefits in 2009 while other state employees were enduring three-day-a-month fur- loughs. The reductions eventual- ly were approved, along with lowering monthly vehi- cle allowances for lawmak- ers. Lawmakers pay a per- Toiletries Hand towels Wash cloths Hand sanitizer Hand held games Wet wipes New or used DVDs Manicure kits Magazines Antifungal cream Socks Cotton swabs Hand warmers Cortisone cream Small reading light Tylenol Ibuprofen Antacid Lotion centage of their vehicle’s cost — 10 percent for less expensive vehicles and more for higher-end models — through a payroll deduction. Taxpayers pick up the rest while also paying the gaso- line costs for lawmakers, who are given state-issued charge cards. The Legislature buys the vehicles outright, then leases them to lawmakers at a state- subsidized rate. The Legisla- ture determines the amount lawmakers must pay above the monthly vehicle allowance, if any. WORLD BRIEFING Army and Marines urged Congress on Friday not to allow openly gay people to serve in the military, at least not while troops are at war in Afghanistan. The generals publicly rebutted their own bosses and the White House, argu- ing that it is too risky to change the policy now. That gave political ammu- nition to congressional Republicans trying to retain the ban known as ‘‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’’ ‘‘It’s important that we’re clear about the mili- tary risks,’’ said Gen. George Casey, the Army’s top officer. ‘‘Repeal of ’don’t ask, don’t tell’ would be a major cultural and pol- icy change in the middle of a war.’’ President Barack Obama has promised to jet- tison a policy he says is dis- criminatory, and asked Congress to repeal the 17- year-old law this year. Chances of that were slim to begin with, and they sank lower after Friday’s blunt assessment that lifting the ban would tear the close bonds of the foxhole. Democrats have promised a vote this month. Both Casey and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos undercut Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ claim that the change is not too danger- ous. Their views are the most closely watched because the Army and Marines are doing most of the fighting in Afghanistan, and did the same in Iraq. Commission’s debt-reduction fails to gain support WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama’s budget deficit commission failed to garner enough support Friday to prompt quick congressional action on its austere spend- ing blueprint. But the sup- port of a bipartisan majority of the panel should give it momentum. Commission members said that by winning over 11 of the 18 panelists, they had defied expectations. They said it showed that Wash- ington is capable of having an ‘‘adult conversation’’ on a bipartisan basis about the painful choices required to avert a European-style debt crisis. Devout Senate conserva- tives Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Tom Coburn, R-Okla., joined with close Obama allies Sens. Dick Durbin, D- Ill., and Kent Conrad, D- N.D., in support of the plan. Panel members said the commission’s work has fundamentally changed the national debate on the deficit The plan received ‘‘aye’’ votes from five of six sena- tors who served on the 18- member panel, chaired by former White House chief of staff Erskine Bowles and former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson of the GOP. Obama was more mea- sured, praising the commis- sion for its work and promising to closely study its proposals. He said the nation faces ‘‘difficult choices to curb runaway debt.’’ Shampoo Throat lozenges Disposable razors Pillow cases Toiletry bag Knit gloves Body wash Christmas stockings Aloe vera gel Cold medicine Airborne Vitamins Deodorant Air Borne Lip balm Antibiotic ointment Foot powder Mini Christmas tree (12 inches max) The amount lawmakers contribute varies greatly, depending on the cost of the vehicle they choose. Assem- blyman Jim Nielsen, R-Ger- ber, pays the most, $397.10, toward his 2009 Ford Edge. Under the reductions approved last year by the compensation commission, the maximum amount the state will contribute toward a lawmaker’s vehicle was reduced from $350 to $287 in the Senate and from $400 to $328 in the Assembly. In June, the commission decid- ed against any further cuts. You’re invited to the 11th Annual TRAX Tour of Corning Christmas Lights Friday, December 10th, 2010 Call TRAX today at 385-BUSS (2877) for reservations and information Seating is limited! RSVP by Wednesday, December 8th The TRAX Lighted Tour Is FREE Pickup Locations: Red Bluff Bus & Ride: 6:15 Los Molinos Senior Center: 6:00 • Tehama Museum 6:05 TRAX will depart at 7:00 from Corning Transportation Center TRAX