Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/267007
By JEFF BARNARD Associated Press The ousted leader of a small American Indian tribe in northeastern Cali- fornia wore a bulletproof vest to her first court appearance Tuesday on charges she shot and killed four people and tried to murder two others at a meeting to evict her from tribal housing. Cherie Lash Rhoades, 44, was in Modoc County Superior Court in Alturas, Calif., for arraignment on four counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. The charges carry a potential death penalty due to the multiple vic- tims. Judge David A. Mason agreed to continue the arraignment until Monday at the defense's request, said District Attorney Jor- dan Funk. Defense attorney Anto- nio Alvarez told The Associated Press he had just gotten the case and had no comment. Rhoades, of Cedarville, has been held without bail at an undis- closed location since her arrest Thursday outside the headquarters building in Alturas. The Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Council was meeting that after- noon to consider her appeal of her eviction from tribal housing, tribal attorney Jack Duran has said. She had been sus- pended as tribal chair- woman just three weeks earlier, pending a federal investigation into allega- tions that she embezzled at least $50,000 from the tribe. Her brother Rurik Davis, 50, was serving as interim tribal chairman. During the hearing, Rhoades opened fire with a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol fire, killing Davis, two other Tribal Council members and a tribal administrator, court docu- ments allege. The slain council members included Rhoad- es' 19-year-old niece, Angel Penn, who was holding her newborn baby on her lap when she was killed, Duran said. The baby wasn't hurt and was being placed with a fami- ly member. NEW WORKSHOP! How to Get a Job with the State of California Friday, February 28 th , 9:30am – 11:30 am Over 40 jobs available in Redding alone! Call the Job Training Center 529-7000 to register (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) Smog Inspection $ 29 95 + $ 8 25 certificate • Members Welcome 195 S. Main St., Red Bluff 530 527-9841 Weather forecast 8B Rain likely 61/49 N EWS D AILY DAILY 50¢ WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2014 Pancakes and Trio of Syrups Soccer Semis 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 County Fare 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 Interim Fair CEO named Daily News photo by Andre Byik Tehama District Fair board President Linda Durrer, right, and vice president of the board, Greg O'Sullivan, during a fair board meeting Monday night at the fairgrounds in Red Bluff. By ANDRE BYIK DN Staff Writer Ding, ding. Tehama District Fair board members stepped into the ring for Round 2 on Monday, when they took hooks and jabs from those who felt sucker-punched by former Fair CEO Mark Eidman's apparent forced retirement earlier this month. But if the board's brief pitch for the future of the fairgrounds didn't knock out its opposition, it showed a commitment to a new path with- out Eidman, who managed the fair- grounds for the past 13 years. Board President Linda Durrer announced that former Corning City Manager Steve Kimbrough would be the Fair's interim CEO for at least the next three to four months. He start- ed work Tuesday. During the second unusually well-attended Fair board of direc- tors meeting this month — the first being a Feb. 3 meeting in which the board accepted Eidman's resigna- tion — those displeased with Eid- man's departure again chided the directors during a public comment period, saying they have been silent, secretive and short-sighted in conveying their future plans and in their actions. "The direction that we're going is very simple," Durrer said during the meeting. "First of all we are fully dedicated and committed to the furtherance of the Joint Powers Authority between the county of Tehama and the 30th Agricultural District to improve the governance of the Tehama District Fair and all of the events at the fairgrounds." The Tehama District Fair, for- mally the 30th District Agricultural Association, and Tehama County have moved forward with a partner- ship, known as a Joint Powers Authority, that would relieve the fairgrounds from state control. That partnership must be approved by the state, and Director Andrew Meredith said during the meeting that the JPA is as close as it's ever been to being approved. He added that the agreement is on Gov. Jerry Brown's desk, but wouldn't specu- late on a timeline for a decision to come down from the state. Durrer continued: "Over the next few months we will be working in tandem with the board of supervi- sors' ad hoc committee to revise and modify the classification of the CEO, the Chief Executive Officer. The new approach to management will serve to maintain and improve our site facilities, enhance current longstanding events, and develop Search for Talent set for Saturday Courtesy photo Senior Division contestants receive their awards during the 2013 Search for Talent competition. The Red Bluff Exchange Club and Soroptimist International invite the people of Tehama County to come to Red Bluff's historic State Theatre at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 1 for a gala evening of perfor- mances by 22 outstand- ing, talented young people who will be competing in the 8th Annual Exchange Club Search for Talent show. The evening's perfor- mances will feature five acts in the Primary Divi- sion, ages 6 to 9, eight acts in the Junior Division and six acts in the Senior Division. In addition Mitchell Sauve, local and district winner from 2013, will give a guest performance. Also featured will be guest performances by members of the Old Time Fiddlers Association. Awards and prizes will be presented to the contes- tants, and the first place winners in each division will be invited to perform and compete in the Exchange Club District Search for Talent compe- tition at the Win River Casino on May 3. In past years, winners of the Red Bluff competition — Mitchell Suave, Chad Bushnell, Devin Penner, Ashiah Scharaga, Stacy Stone and Ashtin Lope- Shots fired between cars west of town The Tehama County Sheriff's Department is investi- gating a shooting that reportedly occurred around 9:43 p.m. Monday near Walnut Street and Wilder Road. Around that time deputies responded to the area after receiving numerous 911 calls reporting shots had been fired, according to a department press release. Additional information relayed to deputies said the shots involved people in a white smaller-sized pickup truck and an unknown sedan that were exchanging gun- fire in the roadway. The vehicles fled the area prior to deputies arriving. California gas tax drops but pump price may not CULVER CITY (AP) — The state Board of Equalization voted Tues- day to reduce a gasoline tax by 3.5 cents per gallon — but that doesn't mean consumers will see a dip at the pump. The board approved lowering the excise tax rate on non-diesel fuel from 39.5 cents to 36 cents for the fiscal year that begins on July 1, just as the summer driving season kicks in. Gasoline suppliers pay the tax and aren't required to pass on the reduction to consumers. ''Historical data indi- cates that this legislation requiring the adjustment does not have an impact on overall gas prices,'' board Chairman Jerome E. Horton said in a state- ment. ''However, it would be nice if this decrease in excise tax would result in a corresponding decrease in gas prices.'' Even with the reduc- tion, Californians will be paying the second-highest gas tax rate in the nation — more than 67 cents per gallon — after New York, according to petroleum industry figures. The excise tax funds highway and mass transit projects. The board adjusts it annually and raised the tax by 3.5 cents per gallon last year. The excise tax is the largest of the state taxes on gasoline. It was increased in 2010 at the same time that the sales tax on gas was reduced. Changes must be ''rev- enue-neutral'' over three years, as judged against how much money would have been brought in under the old system. For that reason, the board adjustments reflect estimates of gasoline prices — which would increase sales tax rev- enues — and motorist demand for the coming fiscal year. Gasoline consumption Ex-tribal leader wears bulletproof vest to court See SHOTS, page 7A See FAIR, page 7A See GAS, page 7A See SEARCH, page 7A See VEST, page 7A