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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Drought-stricken California got some help Thursday from the weath- er — a prelude to a bigger storm for parts of the state over the weekend that could dump as much as 2 feet of snow in the north- ern Sierra and 6 inches of rain on Bay Area moun- tains. While the overdue wet weather is welcome and may be a sign of things to come, forecasters say Cal- ifornia needs much more rain and snow to make up for one of the driest rainy seasons so far. ''I won't say the storm door is open, but maybe we'll get into more of a routine storm pattern now,'' said Bob Benjamin, a National Weather Ser- vice forecaster in Mon- terey. Rain in the San Fran- cisco Bay Area on Thurs- day morning contributed to numerous crashes. In one crash, a big rig went over the median on Inter- state 80 in San Pablo, but the driver was not hurt. San Francisco had received a little less than a three-quarter inch of rain by late Thursday morning and was not expected to get much more before the storm moved out later in the day, Benjamin said. In the northern Sierra, the National Weather Ser- vice was forecasting as much as 6 inches of snow at higher elevations. Southern California, meanwhile, experienced scattered showers early Thursday, with more expected through the day, though totals there were expected to be small. The rainfall prompted state fire officials to lift a ban on outdoor open burning in parts of north- ern and central California. But Thursday's rainfall was just the beginning — at least in Northern Cali- fornia. Forecasters say a stronger system moving in Friday will dump as much as 6 inches of rain on Bay Area mountains and 2 feet of snow in the Sierra over the weekend. San Francisco and By RICH GREENE DN Staff Writer A Tehama County family has spent the past week grieving the loss of their two 8-month-old puppies after an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer shot them while jogging through their neighborhood. Alex Torres said his mother's bulldog puppies, Chato and Chata, had been let outside onto their 8-acre property in the Jellys Ferry area as they routinely were the morn- ing of Jan. 28. After about five to 10 minutes, according to Torres he called for them, however they didn't return to the house. He then went looking for them. While on one side of the property, Torres said he heard gun shots. When he arrived at where the sound came from he found a man on a cell phone and his two puppies lying on the ground dead. Tehama County Assis- tant Sheriff Phil Johnston said the man, who the Daily News is declining to name because he has been threatened, was an off-duty Highway Patrol officer, but did not say where he is stationed. Johnston said the inci- dent was investigated by several officers including a sergeant. The off-duty officer said he was jogging near the house when a dog came at him from an open field. The officer said he threw rocks at the dogs and they retreated. The man continued on his jog, but on his way back past the house the dogs came at him again and wouldn't retreat. "At this time he had to shoot them, he felt," John- ston said. Torres said the man fired six shots at his dogs and his family wonders why a warning shot was- n't fired first to frighten off the dogs. Johnston said law enforcement officers are taught in training not to fire warning shots as they are never shot in a safe manner. Johnston said he does- n't second guess officers, but believes if six shots were fired there must have been a sense of urgency. Torres and his family disagree. "How did two puppies attack him," Torres said. "(There's) no proof they did anything to him." As for whether the highway patrol officer Weather forecast 8A Rain likely 53/42 N EWS D AILY DAILY 50¢ FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2014 Catholic Schools Week Putin's Games 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 Education 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 Jogger shoots loose dogs Courtesy photo Chato and Chata, a pair of 8-month-old bulldog puppies were shot and killed by a jogger Jan. 28, who turned out be an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer. The officer said he had no other choice. The owners of the dogs, the Torres family, claim otherwise. On-line tax boosts RB base By RICH GREENE DN Staff Writer California's broadened effort to collect tax from online sales is providing benefits for the city of Red Bluff's tax base. Adjusting for reporting aberrations, Red Bluff's sales activity in the third quarter of 2013 increased 9.2 percent compared to the previous year, according to a report by HdL Companies, the city's tax consultant. Most of that increase can be attributed to a larger portion of the county-wide use tax pool, which has con- tinued to increase since the implementation of AB 155 in September 2012. The bill, also known as the "Amazon Tax," expand- ed the types of out-of-state retailers that are required to register with the California Board of Equalization. HdL reported Red Bluff's actual receipts were 1.2 percent lower than the previous year, although that was due to reporting problems and the revenue would be made up in subsequent quarters. Autos and transportation sales had a strong third quarter in 2013. Car stolen in broad daylight Two Vallejo men were arrested Wednesday after they reportedly stole a car from Tucker's Automo- tive in Red Bluff. Around 11:42 a.m. a Tucker's employee was contacted by a man who said he had just observed two suspicious people in the parking lot. The man told the employee he had last seen them leaving in a green 1996 Honda Accord. That vehicle belonged to the employee, who then telephoned the Red Bluff Police, according to a department press release. The police issued a be on the look-out to sur- rounding law enforce- ment agencies. Shortly thereafter a Tehama County Sheriff's deputy observed the stolen vehicle traveling on Flores Avenue near Interstate 5. The sheriff 's depart- ment conducted a high risk stop and detained the two occupants of the vehicle. Red Bluff police offi- cers responded and arrested the two men who were identified as Manuel Ricky Medrano, 34, and Edwards Dean Milani, 48. The men were charged with felony vehicle theft and misdemeanor posses- sion of burglary tools and held on $18,000 bail. Medrano had a war- rant from Sacramento for vehicle theft. Local wineries earn top honors DN Staff Report Tehama County recent- ly received recognition for its wineries tucked away in the high eleva- tions of Manton and the small town of Vina. Vina's New Clairvaux Vineyard and Manton's Cedar Crest Vineyards and Alger Vineyards scored big last month at the San Francisco Chroni- cle Wine Competition, which is billed as the largest wine competition in the U.S. The competition drew more than 5,800 entries from more than 1,500 wineries in 25 states, according to its website, and a wine award public tasting is scheduled for 1:30-5 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. New Clairvaux Vine- yard, which is at the Abbey of New Clairvaux at 26240 Seventh St. in Vina, earned a double gold award for its 2011 Poor Souls Petite Sirah, a bronze for its 2010 St. James Syrah Reserve, and another bronze for the Vina Ranch Petite Temp- tation. "There has been a lot of debate on whether North State wines could match the quality of more well-known grape grow- ing regions," said Aimee Sunseri, a fifth-generation winemaker who has worked with the monks at the Abbey of New Clair- vaux for about 10 years, in a release. "Our loamy and rocky soil actually provides ideal growing conditions for many vari- etals, which results in some fantastic wines." The Abbey of New Clairvaux was featured in Bay Area filmmaker John Beck's 2013 documen- tary, "The Monks of Vina," which sheds light on a brotherhood of Trap- pist monks and their win- ery. Cedar Crest Vineyards, at 32505 Forward Road in Manton, took home a sil- ver for its 2011 Petit Sirah, and three bronze awards for its 2011 and 2010 Syrah, and its 2011 Claret. "We've been produc- ing top-notch, award-win- ning wines for years," Cedar Crest co-owner Corey Livingston said in the release. "Our loyal customers know of our quality, now it's time that the rest of the industry realizes our potential." Cedar Crest planted its four-acre vineyard in 2008, and became a fed- erally bonded winery in 2009, according to its website. At an elevation of 2,800 feet, "The rich volcanic soil provides a great growing environ- ment." Also in Manton, Alger Daily News file photo Order of Cistercian monks from the Abbey of New Clairvaux in Vina perform their annual Blessing of the Grapes in 2012. Much needed rain, snow comes to California See DOGS, page 7A See TAX, page 7A See WINES, page 7A See RAIN, page 7A