Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/25330
Thursday, February 17, 2011 – Daily News – 7A Obituary GARY BRIAN JACKSON Lived his life for his family and animals. He rescued ani- mals, his goal was to bring awareness to fellow human beings about cruelty to animals and the dysfunction of the environment. He had the most genuine and loving heart that effected everyone in his presents. VOTE Continued from page 1A employees. The resolution gives the county options for as many as 10 pre-authorized fur- lough days. His motto was have fun and love deeply. He was a daredevil that loved mountain climbing, snow shoeing, he felt most comfortable in the water. He loved to swim, ski and be on his boat, he was known as the "River Rat". There was not a challenge he didn’t want to pursue, he was a Vietnam Veteran. His family and the welfare of animals were most impor- tant. He was a very big supporter of PETA. He was the light in his families life. He was so young at heart, and made every situation fun. He loved to ballroom dance, teach himself spanish, and teach himself how to play guitar. He was up for anything, and would never turndown a good time. He will be truly missed, and again, was the light of his families life. He is survived by biological daughter Tina Peters, step daughter Amy Frizard, wife Melinda Jackson and her chil- dren Rhiannon, Justin and Candice King., and his sisters, Gwen and Wilma Jackson. Private Services will be held. CITY Continued from page 1A suffering, said Los Molinos resident Richard Mazzuc- chi. Having been in a home- less shelter before, he said the shelter was conducive to his recovery. Pat and Sarge Kennedy said this was the time to get the project done, and asked the council not to delay PATH any further from get- ting the shelter built. Neighborhood resistance was apparent, with some pointing out they where in favor of helping out the homeless, but the shelter was not appropriate in their neighborhood. Kate Gleim-Clark from House of Design said she had tremendous compassion for the homeless. They need a place to stay, but not in that area. She described some of the problems she has experi- enced with the homeless, including loitering, finding surgical needles in the gar- den and the bathroom cov- ered in urine and the home- less soliciting money from customers and staff. For resident Kathy Pat- terson, who lives one block away, the financial loss is what concerns her most. Historic and Victorian homes in the neighborhood attract tourists. The neigh- borhood will become less appealing to tourists if it becomes flooded with homeless. “The problem is loca- tion,” Patterson said. “Nobody wants them (the homeless) next to them.” Some cited fear of the homeless. One property owner said, as a single woman, she was not comfortable with having homeless in the neighbor- hood. Another said she has had trespassers and had things stolen off her property and feared for her young chil- dren. Police Chief Paul Nanfito said he could not predict if having the shelter would contribute to more crime in the area. But in general, the city has seen an increase in Part 1 crimes. “When we have thefts and crime and we’re called out to make an arrest, we don’t automatically think it’s a homeless person, and fre- quently, they’re not,” Nanfi- to said. Mayor Pro Tem Forrest Flynn said the project has faced the not-in-my-back- yard attitude at all the of the proposed sites and, while he understood the feelings of the neighbors, this is proba- bly the best location he has seen. With his recommenda- tion, the council voted 3-2 in favor of rezoning. Council members Wayne Brown and Rob Schmid voted no. The shelter will have 40 beds and be operated year round. This is the third site PATH has proposed for the shelter. The most recent site prior to Breckenridge Street was on Minch Road. That plan was abandoned because it was too costly to connect the site to the city’s water and sewage system. PATH has a $1 million state grant that was approved for the Minch Road site. The group has asked the state for an exten- sion and transfer over to the Breckenridge Street site, said PATH President Allene Dering. If the state approves the extension, PATH will move forward with acquir- ing the property and build- ing the shelter. ——— Tang Lor can be reached at 527-2153, Ext. 110 or by e-mail at tlor@redbluffdailynews.co m. Storm knocks out power in eastern Tehama County Stormy weather caused a power outage for hundreds of customer in eastern Tehama Coun- ty. About 550 customers in Mill Creek, Lyonsville and Mineral were without power much of Wednesday, said PG&E spokesman Paul Moreno. Two separate outages were caused by trees and stormy weather, which brought down a power line and broke a power pole. The outages started Tuesday night during bad weather. Crews were on scene making repairs Wednesday. Power was restored to 178 customers by late afternoon Wednesday. The rest of the cus- tomers were expected to have their power back around midnight. Highway 32 was blocked about 6 miles west of the junction with Highway 36 Wednesday afternoon by a tree that fell across the roadway. It was cleared after about 20 minutes. The county predicts a $536,256 savings through the resolution and potential- ly more, should it enact fur- loughs. The resolution does- n’t guarantee furloughs but allows for them. The employees impacted include those that provide services, such as accounting, operating heavy equipment, reviewing building plans and providing social services, in every department in the county. Robert Belgeri, a repre- sentative for the Internation- al Union of Operating Engi- neers, Stationary Engineers, Local 39, and Service Employees International Union, addressed the board following a reading of a staff report describing the strug- gle and resolution. Belgeri hinted that the resolution is in part a retalia- tion for an “unwillingness to play ball,” he said. The parties had met 16 times, as of Oct. 27, 2010, the staff report said. After eight months of bargaining, no agreement was reached. Official impasse proceed- ings began Dec. 9, after State Mediation and Concil- iation efforts failed to resolve the issues, the report said. To hear Belgeri tell it, the county is in fine shape fiscal- THEFT Continued from page 1A tance, according to Glenn County Sheriff’s logs. Deputy Todd Ross and Detective Justin Gibbs responded to assist Lopeteguy who had advised them that two people had fled the vehicle when it had stopped at the Sports- man’s Market. The vehicle was recovered and returned to its owner. Gray was found in a shed at the mobile home park during a search of the area and arrested. He was booked into Glenn Coun- ty Jail on the charges of vehicle theft, receiving known stolen prop- erty and committing a felony while released on bail, said Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones. Bail was set at $35,000. Gray, also known as Jason Lewis Mark Cook and Jason Lewis Cook, was using two different Social Secu- rity number, Jones said. Gray was arrested by the Califor- AWARD Continued from page 1A from the Six Pack rodeos, ly and doesn’t need to force the employees to pay more of their share in CalPERS. “Your general fund is quite healthy, and no coher- ent need is identified,” Bel- geri said. People have been blam- ing government employees for the wider economic stag- nation, whether or not that is supported by accounting, Belgeri said. “Moving against your employees today is wrong,” he said. Belgeri met received applause as he sat down. Two women came up to speak after Belgeri. Janice Stout, introducing herself as a resident of Los Molinos, alluded to the “gra- tuitous assault” on workers and on truth. A second woman spoke arguing that the increase in employee shares would take away income that is spent in the county. It makes no sense, she said. Supervisors then took turns, each saying some- thing in response to the com- ments and discussion. George Russell, District 2, appreciated everyone being in attendance, but argued that the county is not in excellent financial shape, he said. Citing that the county has reduced staff by at least 10 percent in the last few years and the state and the nation are in bad shape, Russell said he feels badly that what- ever action the board would take, there would be a loss. District 5 Supervisor Ron Warner turned to Personnel Director Reanette Filmer and asked, “Should we pass this today?” Filmer responded that the resolution would be up for renegotiation when budget talks resume in October. Dennis Garton, the new District 3 supervisor, said the labor negotiations have been a learning experience for him. Although Garton’s only been a supervisor since January, he worked in the county for many years and has seen unprecedented bud- get cuts. As a governing body, the board’s responsibility is not just to the employees, Gar- ton said. Supervisors must keep providing services in the county. “We have to plan so that we have the money to do so,” he said. “(This resolu- tion) is a planning tool. Every department here is already suffering. I don’t want to lay people off because we didn’t plan.” District 4 Supervisor Bob Williams echoed Garton. “If 3 percent will save a job, I’m for it,” Williams said. The “economic uncer- tainty reserve,” or money set aside that Belgeri alluded to, is kept to pay salaries in case the state decides not to send money to the county for any reason, Williams said. Williams discussed the realignment at the state level that Gov. Jerry Brown is proposing that would shift $5.9 billion of responsibility to counties. “We need to have the ability to fund this county,” nia Highway Patrol Friday morning on Orland Avenue, north of Samson Avenue, after leading several agen- cies on a pursuit in the Corning area. Tehama County Sheriff’s deputies, with assistance from CHP officers Ken Baldwin and Shaun Hoover, were checking on a possi- ble stolen 1992 red Honda Accord in the 187000 block of Executive Drive, near Freeman School House Road, after someone reported at 1:16 a.m. that a man and woman had a screwdriver in the ignition. As Patterson arrived in the area, he saw a red Honda going east on Corning Road and activated his emergency lights in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but the driver accelerated from the area. The vehicle, with speeds as fast as 80 mph, pulled into a residence Lobinger Avenue, turning into an orchard off of Samson Avenue. The driver, identified as Gray, got the vehicle stuck in a drainage cul- vert on Orland Avenue, north of Samson Avenue, and exited the vehicle, fleeing north through an which helps to draw some of the best PRCA cowboys. The high point rider from the total of these rodeos wins a bonus of $4,000. Each of these events Williams said. “I don’t want to see anyone lose their jobs.” Board Chairman and District 1 Supervisor Gregg Avilla took a personal spin on the discussion. The econ- omy has hit everybody, including two of his sons who lost their jobs, he said. Avilla, 68, said he has seen lots of ups and downs in the economy and his par- ents were alive during the Great Depression. This recession is the worst since that. “We’re trying to do our best to keep the county pay- ing our bills,” Avilla said. This resolution resets the playing field, he said. “I regret the times we’re in but we’re all in it togeth- er,” Avilla said. “We need to stay together.” Warner moved to adopt the resolution and Williams seconded it. After a unani- mous vote in favor of the resolution, the meeting was paused to allow the room to empty. The resolution took effect Wednesday. The resolution is similar to a memorandum of under- standing signed Jan. 25 between the county and the Tehama County Deputy Sheriff’s Association. The association willingly con- ceded the 3 percent employ- ee share to CalPERS as part of the agreement. ——— Andrea Wagner can be reached at 527-2153, extension 114 or awagner@redbluffdailynew s.com. orchard. He was located hiding under a tree in the orchard and was taken into custody without incident. The passenger, Amanda Marie Shoffner, 18, stayed in the passenger seat. Inside the Honda, officers found a backpack with a scanner, burglary tools and narcotic paraphernalia. Both Gray and Shoffner were booked into Tehama County Jail on the charges of taking a vehicle with- out the owner’s consent and buying or receiving known stolen property. Gray was booked on the charges of intercepting or divulging police information, evading a peace officer, obstructing or resisting arrest and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia. Bail was set at $50,000. Shoffner was booked on the charge of bringing a controlled sub- stance into prison. Her bail was set at $30,000. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com. hosts the Tough Enough to Wear Pink campaign in support of breast cancer awareness, and sponsor several youth events dur- ing the rodeos. The Red Bluff Round- Up kicks off its 11 Days of Round-Up April 7 and concludes April 15-17 with the PRCA rodeo action. Court to answer question on gay marriage SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Cali- fornia’s highest court decided Wednesday to wade back into the legal morass surrounding the state’s voter- approved gay marriage ban, agreeing to rule on a question of state law con- sidered crucial to the survival of Proposition 8. The California Supreme Court accepted without comment a formal inquiry from a federal appeals court that’s mulling the constitutionality of the 2008 ban that was struck down in August as a violation of gay Californi- ans’ civil rights. The three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said last month it can’t reach a decision until it knows if ballot proposition sponsors have legal standing to step in when the attorney general and governor refuse to defend voter-approved initiatives in court. The question is pivotal to the future of Proposition 8 because former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gov. Jerry Brown in his previous role as attorney general both declined to appeal the decision to overturn Propo- sition 8. The measure’s sponsors, a coalition of religious and conservative groups called Protect Marriage, are trying to fill that void. But the 9th Circuit said it is unclear if the coalition has authority to do so under either federal or state law. Without further guidance from the state court, the federal panel said it would have to dismiss the appeal and the ruling that Proposition 8 is uncon- stitutional would stand. John Matsusaka, president of the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California, said the state court did the proper thing by taking up the question. “As a matter of law, it’s right that you want to give these groups stand- ing,” he said. “The attorney general and governor should have done their job and not put us into a constitutional bind.” Lawyers for the two gay couples who successfully sued to overturn the ban had urged the state Supreme Court to refuse the case, arguing the issue of who is eligible to bring an appeal in federal court is a matter of federal law. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a non- binding decision, has cast doubt on the ability of initiative backers to appeal rulings. Lawyers for Protect Marriage had urged the state court to get involved, maintaining it would be a disaster for democracy if laws enacted by citizens could be tossed out because state lead- ers chose not to defend them. Project to widen road bridges could hurt redwoods EUREKA (AP) — The state Transportation Depart- ment wants to widen four bridges on a scenic stretch of road through Northern California redwoods, but the project could harm trees and wildlife in the area. The department is preparing an environmental impact report on the road work planned for the Avenue of the Giants, which runs through Humboldt Redwoods State Park in southern Humboldt County. According to the department’s public notice about the project, the construction could affect the habitat for protected marbled murrelets and northern spotted owls. The notice says work also would be near the roots of old-growth redwoods. Environmentalists already are opposing another pro- ject to widen Highway 101 at Richardson Grove over concerns about damaging redwoods. Transportation officials have scheduled a Feb. 28 meeting at the park’s visitor center to discuss the project.