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MONDAY MARCH 14, 2011 Breaking news at: ‘Exergames’ Mean Fun, Fit Vitality www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 4A RED BLUFF Spartans Win Again SPORTS 1B Few Showers 63/49 Weather forecast 8B Teen stabbed at RB complex DAILYNEWS Parent primer 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 A 17-year-old boy was treated for a stab wound after an altercation with another juvenile Saturday. Red Bluff Police officers were called to a distur- bance at 1:14 a.m. Saturday at the Kimball Crossing Apartments, at 820 Kimball Road, but were unable to find anyone in the area on a foot patrol. Soon after, at 1:36 a.m., St. Elizabeth Community Hospital staff reported a stabbing victim had come in for treatment, a press release said. The 17-year-old victim told police that he had been confronted by another juvenile at the apartment com- plex. The two argued and the victim was stabbed in the back with an unknown cutting instrument by the other juvenile. The victim was treated and released from the hospi- tal. The wound was non-critical. The suspect has not been identified and the investi- gation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Red Bluff Police Department at 527-3131. -Andrea Wagner PUC pushes for SmartMeter opt-out By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer Even as Pacific Gas & Electric Co. continues to roll out its SmartMeter program in Tehama Coun- ty and other North State communities many cus- tomers are trying to fight the trend. The California Public Utilities Commission agrees customers should have an option to opt out of getting SmartMeters and has asked PG&E to come up with some of those options. Commission President Michael Peevey announced Thursday he will give PG&E a two- week deadline to come up with a proposal for cus- tomers to opt out if they have concerns about the device’s potential health effects. He believes PG&E should allow customers to opt out for a reasonable cost, Peevey said. PG&E spokesman Paul Moreno said the utility will have a proposal to the commission by deadline. “We’re aware of the March 24 deadline and are committed to working with regulators,” Moreno said. “We have been examining possible alter- natives for the past few months in anticipation of this filing, and we’re pre- pared to file by the dead- line.” Moreno declined to reveal the details, but said the proposal will be fin- ished in two weeks. A January report by the California Council on Science and Technology said radio frequency emission from Smart- Meters is less than many common household elec- tronics and exposure does not pose any threat to human health. While there is some scientific evidence that shows SmartMeters are See PUC, page 7A Daily News photos by Andrea Wagner Reyna Jamaica, 9, right, with New Generation, a group of Corning youth dancers, performs for parents during a lunch break at the Parents Choice Conference at Woodson Elementary School in Corning Saturday. By ANDREA WAGNER DN Staff Writer Some 80 parents were treated to a free half-day conference Saturday where they learned about topics such as budgeting, literacy, job skills and sibling rivalry. Northern California Child Development, Inc., hosted a free Parents Choice Conference for Head Start and Early Head Start parents at Woodson Elementary School in Corning. The annual event featured work- shops, a keynote speaker, lunch, entertainment and raffle prizes. Each participant received a tote bag containing the parenting books, “How to Raise Emotionally Healthy Children” and “Positive Discipline.” Mike Lindsey, parent involve- ment coordinator for the program, was instrumental in putting the con- ference together. He wants to increase parent involvement in the programs, he said. “We are a wrap-around family success organization,” Lindsey said. “We’re not just preschool.” The goal is to focus on themes of nutrition, dental health, medical health needs, literacy and budget- ing, he said. The conference is a way to introduce ideas that can be easily followed-up on and tried at home. The workshops, offered in both Spanish and English separately, were set up like a professional con- ference, with session materials given in a conference handbook. “A lot of these people have never been to a conference,” Lindsey said. Jail proves hard to escape for Dodd Longtime jail chief retires By ANDREA WAGNER DN Staff Writer After spending the last 16 years, or roughly half of his law enforcement career, as the county jail commander, Captain Ronald Dodd, 53, official- ly retired Tuesday. With a little reluctance to retire, Dodd said his only regret was not keep- ing a journal so he could write a book. “I literally loved com- ing to work,” he said. Throughout the years, he saw hundreds of deputies and officers come and go, he said. In a presentation dur- ing the March 1 meeting of the Board of Supervi- sors, Dodd spoke of his mixed emotions about retirement. “It’s like kissing your sister,” he said. Dodd attributed his success to his wife. “If it weren’t for my wife Becky, I wouldn’t be there today,” he said. Sheriff Dave Hencratt In support of the conference, Head Start centers throughout the county shut down on Friday so they could be open for child care Satur- day, Lindsey said. Center cooks prepared and served lunch. Parents came from all over Tehama County to participate. “At a time when our government is cutting dollars on everything to do with education, it’s nice to know an agency like Head Start is doing this,” said parent Frank Zaldivar of Corning. Another Head Start parent has been impressed with the program. “It’s a great program,” said Mag- gie Roberts, of Red Bluff. “I knew everything they were going to do here would be beneficial for our family.” See PRIMER, page 7A Crunch time approaches to strike budget deal SACRAMENTO (AP) — Efforts by Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic lawmakers to court a handful of Republican lawmakers are expected to intensify this week as they seek to compromise on a plan to send a tax vote to the ballot. A five-year extension of the sales, personal income and vehicle taxes enacted two years ago is the corner- stone of Brown’s plan to address a $26.6 billion deficit, but he has been able to get Republican lawmakers to publicly support it. He is negotiating with some, who have said they want pension reforms, a spending cap and regulatory changes in exchange for their vote on a budget. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D- Sacramento, is aiming for a floor vote this week even though Republicans have made no commitment to a timeline for striking a deal. Brown, who already missed a self-imposed budget deadline last Thursday, is seek- ing bipartisan support to call a June special election to consider extending the tax hikes, which will expire by July 1. Brown’s office wants the election held June 7 to coincide with local elections in many California cities. To do so, he needs to get the Legislature to approve the tax extension question on a bipartisan vote soon. He also faces a Monday deadline to call a special election to replace former Democratic Rep. Jane Har- man, who resigned her Los Angeles-area seat last month. The Democratic governor is balancing his proposal Daily News photo by Andrea Wagner Tehama County Jail Commander, Capt. Ronald Dodd, reluctantly retires after more than 30 years in Tehama County law enforcement. 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 and District 3 Supervisor Dennis Garton, the for- mer undersheriff, present- ed a retirement certificate to Dodd. Hencratt looked at Dodd with a grin and teased that Dodd started See DODD, page 7A to extend the tax increases with $12.5 billion in spend- ing cuts. He also wants to save money by shifting more responsibilities to local governments. Five Republican senators — Tom Berryhill of Modesto, Sam Blakeslee of San Luis Obispo, Anthony Cannella of Ceres, Bill Emmerson of Hemet and Tom See BUDGET, page 7A