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SACRAMENTO (AP) — Federal officials on Wednesday pledged more money to help California cope with its severe drought as state fishing regulators shut down recreational angling on portions of two water- starved rivers because of concerns about the sur- vival of salmon and steel- head trout. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Natural Resources Conservation Service announced anoth- er $14 million for water management improve- ments in the state, a day after Agriculture Secre- tary Tom Vilsack commit- ted $20 million. The aid was announced as the U.S. House of Rep- resentatives passed a bill supported by House Speaker John Boehner and Central Valley Republicans that would temporarily halt restora- tion of the San Joaquin River and allow farmers to pump delta water more freely. The bill rankled envi- ronmentalists and many across the aisle, including Democratic House Minor- ity Leader Nancy Pelosi. ''This Republican bill reflects misguided priori- ties, undermines Califor- nia's water rights, and overrides the state's abili- ty to manage its own water supplies,'' Pelosi said in a statement. Meanwhile, Califor- nia's Fish and Game Commission continued banning fishing on drought-stricken state waterways. The panel voted unani- mously to abolish fishing on parts of the American and Russian rivers after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife closed dozens of others last month. California has already taken steps to address concerns over the drought, including cutting deliveries from the State Water Project to farms DN Staff Report About three-dozen community leaders and businessmen and women gathered Wednesday morning at the Tehama County Farm Bureau to coordinate events for the 11 Days of Round-Up in April. Multiple events are planned for nearly every day leading up to and through the annual rodeo, which is scheduled for April 18-20 this year. The 11 Days of Round- Up will kick off Thursday, April 10 with the Cowboy Coffee, hosted at Red Bluff Dodge on Adobe Road. During this event the winners of the busi- ness decorating contest will be announced. Shasta College film students will present a film festival April 11 at the State Theatre. Red Bluff Rotary's annual chili cook-off will be held Saturday, April 12 in downtown. A classic car show will be held nearby and the Sunrise Rotary is looking into hosting a hoedown event. Tehama Oaks Winery is planning a release party 1-5 p.m. Sunday, April 13 and nothing is scheduled for April 14. The Red Bluff Round- Up committee is planning a barbecue event the evening of Tuesday, April 15 to benefit K-9 officers in law enforcement. The Bud Light 3000, which includes bikini bar- rel racing and cowboy barrel racing, is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16. Cornerstone Community Bank will host a meet and greet with rodeo contes- tants that day, too. The annual Round-Up Mixer is scheduled for Thursday, April 17 and the Cowboy Golf Tourna- ment, brought back in 2013 after several years' absence, will tee off the morning of Friday, April 18. There was discussion of a street dance that evening to benefit Tough Enough to Wear Pink. Rodeo performances will be held Friday night and Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Saturday, April 19 will start with the Red Bluff Kiwanis annual Pancake Breakfast at the Elks Lodge followed by the Round-Up Parade down- town. Following the rodeo performance, Mark Chestnut will perform a concert. Weather forecast 8B Few showers 52/37 N EWS D AILY DAILY 50¢ THURSDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2014 Christian Ballet Sochi Slopes Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com N EWS D AILY RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 See Page 4A SPORTS 1B Pastimes 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 River Park redux Daily News photo by Rich Greene The second phase of restoring the boat launch facility at Red Bluff River Park may include park renovations, such as moving the pedestrian walking trail down to the gravel bar so it would once again be near the water. Corps stalling ramp project By RICH GREENE DN Staff Writer Phase 2 of a proposed new boat launch facility at Red Bluff River Park would include not only a 2- lane concrete ramp with a turn- around, but a renovated restroom, a picnic pavilion and the relocation of the pedestrian trail to the gravel bar near the Sacramento River. The $2.7 million in funding for the entire project would come from a pair of grants that seem all but certain once the city of Red Bluff completes environmental docu- ments, which the City Council approved paying $7,000 to get underway Tuesday. It all sounds great — but when does Phase 1 of the project start? That question lingered at Tues- day's council meeting, even as engineers presented the park's reha- bilitated future. Phase 1, which would consist of a 20-foot-wide, single lane prefabri- cated armoring mat ramp on the gravel bar, has yet to start despite the city sitting on approved plans, an awarded contract and a pile of permits. The final permit needed is being held up by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is still consulting with the National Marine Fisheries over a finalized biological opinion. Officials had hope the work on a new ramp would begin in 2012, the first summer after the gates of the Red Bluff Diversion Dam were per- manently raised by a court order, leaving the former boat ramp high and dry. That ramp is still being used, even more so with the river's low flows making launches down river past the Diversion Dam in some cases impossible. But the launches are eroding the gravel bar between the existing concrete and the river's bank. Representatives from Stoll Engi- neering, the city's consulting firm on the project, said they hoped work could finally begin this sum- mer on Phase 1 of the project. At the same time Stoll and the city would be looking to secure about $2.7 million in grants from the Cal- ifornia Boating and Waterways Commission and California Wildlife Conservation Board to pay for Phase 2. Once the permanent boat ramp is built in Phase 2, the Phase 1 ramp would be converted for non-motor- ized use, such as for kayaks and canoes. However City Manager Richard Crabtree, who called the permitting process frustrating, said in his decades of experience with the Army Corps, he has never known Man burned to death in wheelchair A 65-year-old man reportedly died Tuesday after his power wheelchair caught fire in Red Bluff. Around 5 p.m. Red Bluff police officers responded to Philbrook Avenue just south of Antelope Boulevard for a report of a man who was on fire in a wheelchair. A resident had found the man, later identified as Garry Parish, and his power wheelchair on fire. The resident extinguished the fire and medical per- sonnel began treating Parish. He was later transported to St. Elizabeth Communi- ty Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The case is still under investigation. A preliminary investigation revealed the fire may have been caused by a lit cigarette. DN Staff Report The Tehama District Fair board of directors issued a release Tuesday, saying it would work dili- gently to find an interim executive officer after accepting the resignation of CEO Mark Eidman on Monday. Eidman said Feb. 6 that he is retiring from the position he held for more than 13 years after two Fair board members approached him last month and told him the board decided to go in a different direction. His last day is Friday. "Mark has been a sta- ple at the Tehama Fair- grounds for over a decade," Fair board Presi- dent Linda Durrer said in the release. "I speak for the Board in wishing him well moving forward." Director Andrew Meredith said, "Mark has helped keep this ship afloat over the last several years without traditional funding sources being in place, and he deserves credit for that." The Fair board on Monday voted unani- mously to form a commit- tee to find an interim replacement in the office of the CEO. Durrer named herself and Director Greg O'Sullivan to the commit- tee. "We will work diligent- ly to find someone to fill our immediate need," Durrer said in the release. "We are also going to reach out to our communi- ty partners and regular vendors to help us in rec- ognizing the background, qualities, and skills required of a candidate as we begin our search for a permanent replacement." Meredith added: "This Board has been clear about the need to chart a new course for the 30th District Agriculture Asso- ciation. I think it's imper- ative that we engage our long-standing partners in this process. We have a unique opportunity to let our customers help us cre- ate the perfect atmosphere for the fairgrounds. I think we should all be excited about that." Fair board plans for interim CEO Events lined up for 11 Days of Round-Up Daily News photo by Chip Thompson Daily News Publisher Greg Stevens leads a discussion about events planned for the 11 Days of Round-Up during a meeting of community lead- ers Wednesday at the Tehama County Farm Bureau. Feds announce another $14M for California drought See PARK, page 7A See CEO, page 7A See EVENTS, page 7A See FEDS, page 7A