Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/231492
Friday, December 20, 2013 – Daily News Death Notices Death notices must be provided by mortuaries to the news department, are published at no charge, and feature only specific basic information about the deceased. Paid obituaries are placed through the Classified advertising department. Paid obituaries may be placed by mortuaries or by families of the deceased and include online publication linked to the newspaper's website. Paid obituaries may be of any length, may run multiple days and offer wide latitude of content, including photos. Frances Grissom Frances Grissom died Thursday, Dec. 19 at her Red Bluff home. She was 90. Arrangements are under the direction of Hoyt-Cole Chapel of the Flowers. Published Friday, Dec. 20, 2013 in the Daily News, Red Bluff, Calif. California inmate isolation case goes to judge SACRAMENTO (AP) — A federal judge abruptly interrupted a weeks long hearing so that he could begin considering whether the prolonged solitary confinement of mentally ill inmates in California prisons violates their civil rights. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton in Sacramento ordered attorneys representing inmates and the state to submit written closing arguments instead of hearing oral arguments as scheduled. ''I can't possibly absorb any more,'' Karlton said, expressing impatience with the volume of testimony that followed his April decision to reject Gov. Jerry Brown's attempt to end court oversight of prison mental health programs. The solitary confinement issue is the last of four questions surrounding the treatment of mentally ill inmates that are before the judge. He already has ruled against Brown's administration on two others: He decided that mentally ill inmates on death row lack proper care and that the Department of State Hospitals also provides substandard treatment to mentally ill prisoners. Karlton said he is still struggling to decide on the third, which focuses on use of force by prison guards. That question hinges in large part on the guards' use of heavy amounts of pepper spray on the mentally ill. While hearing the latest dispute, the judge said earlier Thursday that he is considering ordering mental health professionals to examine each mentally ill inmate before they can be put into isolation units. ''There are people who are clearly very ill, and the likelihood of their being unable to cope with administrative segregation is very high,'' Karlton said. His comments came the same day as state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, proposed creating a $50 million competitive grant program to help counties provide more mental health treatment as one way of reducing the criminal population. Half the money would go to aid juvenile offenders and half for adults, and it could be used in part for special mental health diversion courts. The court hearing is the latest development in a 23year-old lawsuit that helped lead to sweeping changes in the state prison system, including a sharp reduction in overcrowding. Karlton and two other federal judges, with backing from the U.S. Supreme Court, have ruled that reducing the prison population is necessary to improve inmate medical and mental health treatment. The crowding debate overlapped into Karlton's hearing on the segregation of mentally ill inmates, after the judge demanded that the administration limit the time that some troubled inmates spend in isolation. Once the administration complied, Karlton and the other judges last week gave the state until April to meet a courtordered population cap, extending what once was a yearend deadline. Attorneys representing inmates said the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation sometimes keeps mentally ill inmates in segregation because they lack space in treatment facilities. To satisfy the judge, the state issued a new policy earlier this month setting a 30-day limit on housing severely mentally ill prisoners in isolation units if they have not violated prison rules. The limit is 60 days for those with mental illnesses deemed less severe. Michael Bien, an attorney representing inmates, said keeping mentally ill inmates in isolation for any reason does more harm than good. He and fellow attorney Jane Kahn said after the hearing that most prison suicides are in administrative segregation units or on death row, and most of those are by inmates already diagnosed as mentally ill. Patrick McKinney, a lawyer for the state, said California provides proper care and treatment within the isolation units. The state said in court documents that inmates are transferred to other facilities if they need more intensive care. Lawyers for the state argued that there is insufficient proof to conclude that segregation causes or exacerbates mental illness and the prison system follows national psychiatric standards. Nearly 11,000 California inmates, or about 9 percent of the prison population, are held in isolation units, prison consultant and sociologist James Austin said in written testimony. Other states have recently reduced their rate to less than 5 percent and limited the length of solitary confinement, both to save money and because it was having the same detrimental effect as is alleged in the California case, Austin said. Conn. and Calif. lawmakers seek a health care FAQ HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Two members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut and California want the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to distribute a list of frequently asked questions to help people signing up for health insurance under the federal health care overhaul law. Democratic Reps. Elizabeth Esty of Connecticut and George Miller of California sent a letter on Thursday to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asking that the agency distribute the information across the country in the next few days. They said it should be part of a national consumer education effort. The lawmakers said consumers may have questions about how to use their health coverage for the first time. For example, they said some people may not know how to identify authorized health providers in their plan. Setting it straight –––––––– It is the policy of the Daily News to correct as quickly as possible all errors in fact that have been published in the newspaper. If you feel a factual error has been made in a news story, call the news department at 527-2153. BIKES Continued from page 1A dealt to us and we're going to make the best of it," Sheriff Dave Hencratt said. "That's what the public expects from us." Social Services Director Charlene Reid said the success of the program once again demonstrated the generosity of Tehama County residents. "Kids a lot of times lose everything when they're removed from their families," Reid said of the foster children who will be receiving bicycles as a result of the program. A foster parent picking up three bicycles for three foster children she has, agreed with that assessment. "They didn't have bikes," she said. "They didn't have anything. They came with nothing." One of the bicycles she picked up, for a 3-year-old girl, was even equipped with training wheels. The foster mother said because of the donation she'll be able to use money she would have spent on bikes to give the children even more this Christmas. She said one of her foster children, upon seeing all the presents already under the tree, told her, "I'm going to have a Christmas like all the other kids." Major Kit Wetter said the Salvation Army will be helping around 600 local families this holiday season. About half the children they serve ask for bicycles each year. "We were overjoyed," Wetter said when the Probation Department approached the organization about the program. Chief Probation Officer Volunteers assist with records, dispatch, evidence, patrol and special events such as rodeos and parades, according to the release. Continued from page 1A Applicants must be at least 18 is down to seven volunteers who years old, have a valid driver's have "donated 2,700 hours to the license, no felony convictions and a police department and the commu- clean background, according to the nity since February of 2013." release. RBPD MAN and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Continued from page 1A Project Safe Childhood Led by the United marshals federal, state, States Attorneys' Offices and local resources to LASSEN Continued from page 1A ing and safety tips for winter mountain recreation. Programs are 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours long and are open to individuals and families with children age eight and older. For safety reasons, infants and children in carriers are not permitted. Walks vary in route and distance depending on the group, weather, and snow conditions. Snowshoes are provided by the National Park Service for a suggested $1 donation for their use and maintenance. Dress in layers for winter conditions and wear warm boots. The Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor ACLU Continued from page 1A diately returned. Richard Muench said he wanted to thank the community members who donated bicycles to allow the program to happen and its partnership with the Daily News in getting the word out. Asked whether the program would be repeated next year, Muench answered immediately. "Yes, we'll do it again," he smiled. Rich Greene can be reached at 527-2151, ext. 109 or rgreene@redbluffdailyne ws.com. Those interested in applying are asked to contact Sgt. Kevin Busekist at kbusekist@rbpd.org or Lead VIPS Clay Parker at cparker@rbpd.org. People can also call the department, which is located at 555 Washington St., at 530-5273131. Applications are available at the police department as well. about Project Safe Childhood, please visit w w w. j u s t i c e . g ov / p s c . Click on the "resources" tab for information about For more information Internet safety. locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. Center, with the exception of the vestibule and restrooms, is closed to the public through March 31. The road to the visitor center will remain open with limited parking available. The plowing of the road will occur following each storm period. Be aware the road will be closed during times of severe weather. Visitors planning a trip to Lassen should check the current road status before traveling to the park, and it is highly recommended that all visitors, especially backcountry travelers, are aware of the projected weather and potential avalanche conditions during their visit to the park. Carry tire chains in your vehicle from October through May, along with extra food, water, and blankets. According to the lawsuit, black students in the district are regularly subject to racial slurs from white students, and the district's curriculum 7A The year-round entrance fee at Lassen Volcanic National Park is $10 per vehicle and is valid for seven days. The Annual Park Pass is available for $25 and is valid for a year from the month of purchase. Day use visitors need to sign in at the Loomis Ranger Station or at the Kohm Yah-mah-nee vestibule. Overnight visitors are required to obtain a wilderness permit before entering the backcountry. To learn of park facilities, programs, trip planning, road status, receive updates, or check for current conditions, go to the park website at www.nps.gov/lavo, follow LassenNPS on Twitter or Facebook, or contact park staff at (530) 595-4480 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. includes materials that use racial epithets. Teachers do no explain their historical context. The students in the suit have complained repeatedly to district staff, but have been ignored or had their complaints addressed inadequately, according to the suit. Policy allows governor to veto bias cases SACRAMENTO (AP) — A long-secret policy allows California's governor to veto employment discrimination cases against public agencies without explanation or disclosure, a state legislative report has revealed. The policy was adopted during the administration of Arnold Schwarzenegger and continues under Gov. Jerry Brown, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday. The report by the Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes said the policy ''constitutes unequal treatment for public employees, creates a potential for abuse'' and compromises the independence of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing. ''Taken to its extreme, it allows a California governor, in effect, to exempt public agencies from the state's anti-discrimination law,'' the report stated. Public agencies were targeted in 15 percent of enforcement actions taken by the fair employment agency involving employment discrimination before the policy took effect in 2008. That number dropped to one percent last year, said the report. Evan Westrup, a spokesman for Brown, challenged the criticism in the report. ''Contrary to this report's deeply flawed claims, our focus is on protecting the rights of Californians while resolving disputes in the most fair and sensible manner,'' Westrup told the Times. ''The people of California expect and deserve effective management of departments in the Executive Branch, which is precisely what we are doing.'' State officials declined to provide Senate researchers with information on the number of claims denied by the Schwarzenegger administration. The department indicated that Brown's office has formally denied one request, but employees of the fair employment agency told Senate consultants that other cases were dropped as well. Under the policy, the department automatically sidetracks all public employee claims to an early settlement procedure, regardless of whether it has been requested, the report said. Some complaints judged by the department to have merit were not submitted to the governor's office because it was felt there was not enough time to get approval given the tight deadlines for investigations and enforcement, the newspaper said. ''There were times when, because of time constraints, we could not go forward with a claim,'' Tim Muscat, the former chief counsel, said in testimony in the report. He said that happened about 10 times that he knew about. Police: Suicide note found at home of suspect RENO, Nev. (AP) — A suspect in a deadly hospital shooting in Reno left a suicide note at his home and claimed he had botched surgery three years ago before killing a doctor and himself this week, police said Thursday. Police didn't outline a motive, but the new details could give a fuller picture of why the urology clinic was targeted and two other people were wounded. Police also confirmed that the shooter was 51year-old Alan Oliver Fra- zier of Plumas County, Calif. Police searched his home on Wednesday. ''Inside, we located a typed letter indicating the suspect's intention to commit this horrific act,'' said Reno police Lt. William Rulla. ''We also located other firearms within the residence, as well as notes indicating the suspect's actions during this incident were to be his final actions.'' Police said Frazier had a surgery in 2010 and claimed to have adverse symptoms because of it. But it was not immediately clear if the unspecified procedure was performed at Urology Nevada, the site of the shooting on Tuesday, or if either of the two doctors who were shot had been involved in the operation. However, police said Frazier made statements at the time of the attack that he was looking for physicians from the office, not patients, police said, citing witness statements. Detectives were in the process of securing Frazier's medical records to determine the nature of his surgery and other details. There were about 100 people in the office building when authorities were alerted about the shooter. Plumas County Sheriff Greg Hagwood said his agency helped Reno police execute a search warrant Wednesday at Frazier's California home near Lake Almanor, about 130 miles north of Reno. Hagwood said the man lived alone and had no significant run-ins with the law during his two decades in the community. Red Bluff Simple Cremations & Burial Service Now Offering Eco-Friendly urns at economy friendly prices. 722 Oak Street, Red Bluff, FD Lic. 1931 527-1732