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WEEKEND MARCH 5-6, 2011 Breaking news at: What Drives Women? USA Weekend www.redbluffdailynews.com See Inside RED BLUFF Reader Photos See Page 4B likely Weather forecast 8B Rain 62/47 DAILYNEWS TEHAMACOUNTY DAILY 50¢ 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 Jobless rate continues to creep upward Unemployment continues to increase in Tehama County, according to preliminary numbers released Friday by the Employ- ment Development Department. The county’s January unem- ployment rate is at 16.4 percent, an increase from the 15.7 percent reported in December and 15.3 percent in November. Increased unemployment dur- ing this time of the year is expect- ed because of seasonal jobs, EDD spokeswoman Sheila Stock has said. The increase usually is seen through February and sometimes March. Jobs lost stayed about the same compared to the previous month with slight decreases in farm jobs, construction and the general field of other services. Compared to this time last year, jobs in the information field have taken the hardest hit having 14.3 percent fewer jobs. Federal jobs and jobs in the durable goods field have had the greatest increase at 20.8 percent and 16.3 percent, respectively. In surrounding counties, Butte’s unemployment rate was 14.7 percent, Shasta’s was 16.8 percent and Glenn’s was 18.8 per- cent. The state’s unemployment is at about 12.7 percent, which is high- er than the national unemploy- ment rate of 9.8 percent. — Staff report Mercy repeats CHP head to By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Several months into the job, California Highway Patrol’s Red Bluff Area Commander Lt. Todd Garr is doing what he can do make things safer for Tehama County residents. “Our job when we get down to it is about saving lives,” Garr said. “Everything we do should be focused on that, whether it’s com- munity outreach or calling parents out to talk to their kids. We’ll do whatever it takes to make Tehama County roads the safest they can be.” Garr Part of making things safer is the establishment of the Highway 99 Safety Corridor Task Force, he said. “I’ve been working with Caltrans and local officials in Tehama County and Butte County to establish a task force to try and reduce the number of accidents, specifically fatals, from Antelope Boulevard at Highway 36 to the southern Butte County line,” Garr said. Within the next month, the task force, which includes representatives of Assemblyman Jim Nielsen and State Senator Doug LaMalfa, will be applying for grant funding. Caltrans has already committed to a variety of engineer- ing upgrades in that area that will improve motorist safety, Garr said. Supervisors Ron Warner and Dennis Garton and Tehama County Public Works Director Gary Antone have been very supportive of the project, Garr said. “This is a big undertaking,” Garr said. “We had a group Daily News photo by Rich Greene Mercy High School’s Mitchell Lopez takes a shot Friday during the Warriors’ Northern Section Division VI title game at California State University, Chico’s Art Acker Gymnasium. The Warriors beat Paradise Adventist Academy 61-52 for the team’s second consecutive championship. See Page 1B for the full story. Brown: Still optimistic on budget plan SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown said Friday he’s still opti- mistic he can get the neces- sary Republican support to pass a budget plan to address the state’s $26.6 billion deficit, as he picked up an endorsement from an influential Northern Cali- fornia business group. Brown met in San Fran- cisco with the Bay Area Council, which endorsed his proposal to cut about $12.5 billion in spending and ask voters to extend for five years sales, income and vehicle taxes that are set to expire this year. Bay Area Council pres- ident Jim Wunderman said the business group wasn’t happy about higher taxes but appreciated the Demo- cratic governor’s willing- ness to talk honestly about the state’s fiscal crisis — something he said state lawmakers have often failed to do. “The day of reckoning has finally arrived, and the only way through it is with a spirit of shared sacrifice and grown-up behavior,” he said in a statement. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Wunder- man added, “An adult has entered the room, and his name is Jerry Brown.” Brown has set a March 10 deadline for lawmakers to place the tax measure on a June special election bal- lot. On Thursday, the Legis- lature’s joint budget com- mittee passed a spending plan similar to the one Brown proposed. It now must receive a two-thirds majority in both the Assembly and Senate, which would require at least two Republican votes in each chamber even if every Democrat votes yes. Brown acknowledged that some Democrats may oppose the budget package because of the deep spend- ing cuts. But several Republican lawmakers have shown they might be willing to back it, he said, though he declined to give names. “There’s some interest,” he said. “There’s also fear and some differences.” The alternative to the tax extensions wouldn’t be 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 See BUDGET, page 7A several years ago, but this is much bigger. It’s one of the first times CHP has had a multi-division safety corridor.” The group will involve the Chico, Oroville and Red Bluff areas working with the Sacramento office. Instead of having just one officer, working together will create a team of officers to make things safer, he said. See CHP, page 7A Students form safety patrol in Richfield By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer A new Student Safety Patrol was recently formed by several sev- enth grade students at Richfield School. “I was talking with my students about a problem we were having with kids running up the sidewalk and asked them for ideas on making things safer when they asked if they could form a safety patrol,” said teacher Cindy Fralin. The new program has been well received by all, with several teachers, especially in the primary grades and those who have bus duty, and bus driver Michelle Thomas all commenting that things are a lot more calm after school, Fralin said. “It’s a great addition to our school’s safety program,” said Principal Rich Gifford. “Parents and staff members have been very appreciative and supportive of the program.” Every day after school, students Christopher Rosero, Cristian Briceno, Cristian Lince and Skyler Talley walk over to the primary area to meet stu- dents kindergarten through third grade. Each member of the safety patrol takes responsibility for one of the grades and walks the students out to the pickup area. Classmate Timothy focus on Hwy 99 Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Richfield seventh grade students Skyler Talley, Christopher Rosero, Cristian Lince and Cristian Briceno have formed a new student safety patrol at the school. Ramirez helps out with the safety patrol whenev- er a substitute is needed, Fralin said. “We started the patrol for the safety of the kids so no one gets hurt and because we want this school to have a good reputation,” Briceno said. Another reason was a recent incident in which a student tripped and fell while leaving school, Rosero said. Fralin said she asked ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or the students what they would do if others were to make fun of the uni- form they wear as a part of the safety patrol. She was impressed by the answers she got, especial- ly from Cristian Lince. “I’d tell them I’m doing something good for my school,” Lince said. jzeeb@redbluffdailynew s.com. Learn Basic Excel Basic Thurs., March 10, 2011 8:30 am to 12:30 pm Cost: $65 per person Job Training Center 718 Main St., Red Bluff EXCEL Call 529-7000 Microsoft