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THURSDAY A Very State DECEMBER 19, 2013 Classic Tips Off Theatre Show Pastimes Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 4A SPORTS 1B DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF Sunny 54/35 Weather forecast 8B 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 Pioneer Christmas Council wary of sales tax hike By RICH GREENE DN Staff Writer The Red Bluff City Council directed city staff Tuesday to begin preparing a ballot measure that would raise the sales tax a quarter-cent, but gave mixed signals whether they themselves would support it. Police Chief Paul Nanfito and Fire Chief Jon Bennett said the tax would raise an additional $600,000 in revenue per year and be spent to upgrade the two public safety departments. The tax amounts to an additional $0.25 for every $100 spent within the city. Councilman Rob Schmid, who said he liked the idea, raised several concerns regarding the lack of assurance the money would be spent where city staff said it would be spent. Schmid pointed out that the ballot measure request was for a general tax increase and not for a special tax. See TAX, page 7A RBPD offers holiday safety tips Courtesy photo Betty Markel helps visitors decorate gingerbread men at the Pioneer Christmas Party. Come join the Ide Adobe Interpretive Association and California State Parks who will be hosting the 35th annual Pioneer Christmas Party 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21 at William B. Ide Adobe State Park in Red Bluff. Learn about life in the 1850s in a celebration that re-lives the Christmas traditions of early California pioneers. Event will take place rain or shine. "Many of the Christmas traditions that we celebrate today were just getting established during the 1850s," Ide Adobe Interpretive Association President Judy Fessenden said. "We're inviting the public to discover the origins of some of these customs." Volunteers wearing 1850s style clothing will be on hand to greet visitors and invite them to participate in many traditional Christmas activities. A few of the most popular activities in the past have included making rag dolls, hand dipped candles and wool-batting angels. There will also be a few carolers singing carols. "Writing a Christmas message with a metal- nibbled pen is another popular activity," Fessenden said. "This year most of the activities of past Pioneer Christmas Party activities will be taking place including the breaking of the Christmas Bag – much like today's breaking of a piñata." The Christmas bag will be at 3:30 p.m. Guests will be offered wassail, hot spiced cider and coffee along with sweetmeats and old fashioned cookies. Every year the ladies in the adobe kitchen surprise the guests with a special treat – in past years they have served plum pudding, figgy pudding and a special bread pudding – visitors anxiously await to see what the ladies will be serving this year. The Pioneer Christmas Party is fun for the entire family. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children four to eighteen. Children younger than four are free. With Christmas approaching, the Red Bluff City Police Department expects to see a slight increase in property crimes throughout the month of December. With all the distractions and activities associated with the holiday season, we sometimes forget the basics in protecting our vehicles, homes and ourselves. Opportunity is the key for most criminals. Therefore, use these following guidelines to prevent you from becoming victimized during the holiday season. Vehicles and homes • Always lock your vehicle and home even if you will only be away for a short time period. • Do not leave valuables in plain sight, such as cellular telephones, gifts, purse etc. If possible, take these valuables with you. If that's not possible, lock these items in the trunk or attempt to cover them in an unobtrusive fashion. • During evening hours, park near overhead street lamps whenever possible. • If you will be away from your residence for an extended period of time, have someone pick up your mail and newspaper. Newspapers in the driveway and a full mailbox are telltale signs the occupants aren't home. • If possible, record model and serial numbers for the gifts you purchase in case they are stolen before they are given to See SAFETY, page 7A Man pleads not Home for the holidays pet adoption guilty in deadly Clover Fire REDDING (AP) — A former firefighter pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder and several arson charges in connection with a wildfire that killed one person and destroyed dozens of structures in rural Northern California. Zane Wallace Peterson, 29, of Happy Valley, entered his plea in Shasta County Superior Court, one day after he was arrested on allegations he started two fires that turned into the massive Clover Fire in Shasta County. Peterson's arrest came after three months of investigation, said state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Capt. Scott McLean. Peterson is also accused of starting six other fires since September. He faces hundreds of charges related to the fires, including arson causing great bodily injury, and arson of inhabited dwellings, said Shasta County Senior Deputy District Attorney Ben Hanna. 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 Peterson is being held on $3 million bail and is due back in court on Jan. 2. He was represented Wednesday by a public defender, Hanna said. McLean said the case is still ongoing. ''There's still more work to be done on our part to make sure this comes to a positive conclusion,'' he said. He declined to go into more specifics about the case, including a motive, citing the ongoing investigation. The Clover Fire in early September charred nearly 13 square miles, destroyed 68 homes and 128 other structures. The fire also has been blamed for the death Brian Stanley Henry, 56, whose body was found inside a motor home destroyed by flames in the community of Igo, about 150 miles north of Sacramento. The blaze was fanned by gusty winds and spread at about 500 acres an hour at its peak. More than 1,500 firefighters battled the fire that cost more than $7 million to fight. It took about a week to contain. See CLOVER, page 7A The Tehama County Animal Care Center will be holding a dog and cat adoption event Dec. 1921. During the three day Home for the Holidays event the center will reduce the adoption fees for all dogs to $25 or less, and all cats and kittens will be available for free. Animal Care Center Staff are hoping to use this adoption event to find every dog and cat in the shelter a new home. "The holiday season is often the time families decide to add a new pet to the family," said Animal Care Center Manager Christine McClintock." We want to encourage families to look to the shelter to find the next member of their family." "We would love to show you the diversity of the dogs and cats we have up for adoption, and get them into a warm, loving home before the holidays," McClintock said. "For that reason, we have reduced our adoption prices to the lowest of the year. We are hoping to find a home for every animal in the shelter during this three day event." In addition to amazingly low adoption prices, there will be door Daily News photo by Chip Thompson One of the many pets hoping to find a home for the holidays during the Tehama County Animal Care Center's adoption campaign that kicks off today. buster prizes available to the first 10 adopters. Hot cocoa and cookies will be provided by PETS — Providing Essentials for Tehama Shelter. Dogs ready for adoption are micro-chipped, licensed, current on vaccinations and have been tested for heartworm. Cats are also current on vaccinations and have tested negative for feline leukemia. Additionally, all spay and neuter and rabies vaccination fees for dogs and cats alike will be paid for by PETS. Home for the Holidays will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday. The Tehama County See PET, page 7A The Daily News office will CLOSE AT NOON Tuesday, Dec. 24 & Tuesday, Dec. 31 CLOSED: Christmas Day, Wednesday, Dec. 25 CLOSED: New Years Day, Wednesday, Jan. 1 Retail advertising deadline for these editions is Monday, 10AM Classified deadline Tuesday, 11AM DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY 527-2151 • FAX 527-3719 545 DIAMOND AVE., RED BLUFF