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Friday, March 18, 2011 – Daily News – 9A Death Notice James Gibson Tait Jr. James Gibson Tait Jr. of Red Bluff died Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at Mercy Medical Center in Redding. He was 88. Red Bluff Simple Cremations & Burial Service is handling the arrangements. Published Friday, March 18, 2011, in the Daily News, Red Bluff, Calif. Shirley M. Weber Shirley M. Weber of Red Bluff Died Tuesday, March 15, 2011, at Mayer’s Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills. She was 75. McDonald’s Chapel in Redding is handling the arrangements. Published Friday, March 18, 2011, in the Daily News, Red Bluff, Calif. VANDAL Continued from page 1A ilar build as the suspect walking in the same area. Nicholas Doty, 25, of Red Bluff was found with spray paint on his hands and admitted to the van- dalism, police said. Doty admitted to spray painting a design on several signs and power boxes in the area. PARK Continued from page 1A mum of four months,” Stoufer said. “There’s a lot of engineering and design work to be done first.” Complicating the construction timeline is the fact that part of the property has Jewett Creek running through it and work completed close to the creek has to be stopped during the rainy season, he said. The park is a result of Corning receiving a $4.2 mil- lion Prop. 84 Park grant, which was announced in November 2010. Corning will be the second largest park out of 62 selected and is the only selection from Sacramento north. The park will include a 20,000 square foot lighted skateboard and bicycle park and two lighted soccer fields. A snack bar, equipment storage, a community plaza with an amphitheater, a grassy area, covered gazebo, picnic tables and barbecue are planned. Natural walking surfaces will be placed along Jew- ett Creek and trails for walking and jogging will be throughout the park. While a basketball court will be installed there are no plans for a swimming pool, City Manager Steve Kimbrough has said. Two new restrooms and two new parking lots will be built and the park will have solar energy systems for lighting where feasible and parking areas for emer- gency vehicles. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com. COAST Continued from page 1A nuclear engineering at the University of Missouri. Earlier this week, the U.S. Environmental Protec- tion Agency deployed extra radiation detectors through- out the country to allay pub- lic concerns. On Thursday, President Barack Obama said ‘‘harmful levels’’ of radiation from the damaged Japanese nuclear plant are not expected to reach the U.S. The radiation stations will send real time data via satellite to EPA officials, who will make the data available to the public online. The monitors also contain two types of air fil- ters that detect any radioac- tive particles and are mailed to EPA’s data center in Alabama. That information, as well as samples that numerous federal agencies are collect- ing on the ground and in the air in Japan, also will be sent to the Department of Ener- gy’s atmospheric radioactiv- ity monitoring center in Cal- ifornia, where teams are cre- ating sophisticated comput- er models to predict how radioactive releases at Fukushima could spread into the atmosphere. Inside Lawrence Liver- more National Laboratory near San Francisco, scien- tists, engineers, and meteo- rological experts were ana- lyzing those charts and maps to help policymakers predict where radioactive isotopes could travel. ‘‘The models show what happens if the situation gets worse, if the winds change, or if it rains to predict what could happen,’’ National Nuclear Security Adminis- tration spokesman Damien LaVera said. ‘‘The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has said they see no radiation at harmful levels reaching the United States, and we’re not seeing anything that is inconsistent with that.’’ An arm of the United Nations earlier this week made a forecast of the possi- ble trajectory of the radioac- tive fallout from Japan. The forecast only showed how it might move, but does not have information about radi- ation levels. On Thursday, air quality regulators in Southern Cali- fornia said they have not detected increased levels of radiation. ‘‘So far there’s nothing out of the ordinary,’’ said Sam Atwood of the South Coast Air Quality Manage- ment District. The agency is continuing to monitor radiation levels at its three stations every hour and planned to post daily updates on its website. In the unlikely event that the situation escalates, the California Emergency Man- agement Agency would coordinate emergency response efforts with state public health officials and local officials. ‘‘Worst-case scenario, there is no threat to public health in California,’’ said the agency’s acting secretary Mike Dayton. The California Depart- ment of Public Health, which set up the hotline, also has its own network of 8 monitors sampling the air, water, and soil for harmful substances, including radia- tion, said agency spokesman Ron Owens. Farther north in Alaska, people also have been ask- ing where they can buy potassium iodide pills, which have been in short supply, said Greg Wilkin- son, a spokesman for the state Department of Health and Social Services. Health officials through- out the western U.S. have said there’s no need to take them. The following morn- ing, the outside of a vehi- cle was found spray paint- ed with seven of the same designs used in the earlier vandalism. The vehicle had been parked outside the Comfort Inn at the time of the incident, police said. A report was forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for prosecution, police said. -Andrea Wagner CRIME Continued from page 1A related arrests in the past 10 years. Gang activity is on the rise, as evidenced by an increasing amount of van- dalism and graffiti throughout the city. A total of 1,321 indi- viduals were arrested in 2010, which is a little less than the 1,411 in 2009, but that is most likely attrib- uted to fewer officers and resources. Dispatch handled about 66,000 calls. Despite the call volume, a majority of the calls were answered in 0 to 6 seconds, or 1 ring. Of the five response areas in the city, the neigh- borhoods around Red Bluff Union High School and the Antelope area required the most response. Traffic Red Bluff ranks 4 out of 102 cities of compara- ble size as having the worse traffic accident rate, according data from the State Wide Integrated MOMS Continued from page 1A until her freshman year, she said. Now, she will be graduating in her junior year at Salisbury. Planning to start college in the fall, Bable wants to be a pediatrician. Many speculate as to why teens get pregnant or why fewer are get- ting pregnant than ever, both locally and nationally. Some have cited television, sex education and the economy as contributing factors in fluctuating teen birth rates. In Tehama County, some cite boredom as a factor. There may be not enough for kids to do in Tehama County outside of extracurricular activities, said Diana Geiger, program director of Califor- nia School Age Families Education, or Cal-SAFE. “There’s the movies and the bowling alley and that’s it,” she said. Nereida Farias, a 16-year-old mother to 2-month-old Jorge Ale- jandro, said she got tired of going out to either Chico or Redding for fun. “To be honest, it’s Red Bluff — there’s nothing to do here,” Farias said. “I think that’s why I got preg- nant.” Huber, who was living in Okla- homa when she got pregnant, said there wasn’t much for kids to do there either. “You either skated or did drugs,” she said. said. tor. So people just “hooked up,” she Peer influence may also be a fac- Some teenagers get pregnant because they have friends with kids Traffic Reporting System. Red Bluff ranks num- ber 1 out of 102 cities for having the highest acci- dent rates in alcohol involved collisions, vehi- cle versus pedestrian colli- sions involving children age 15 and younger and vehicles versus bicyclist collisions involving chil- dren age 15 and younger. Most traffic accidents involve pedestrians, Nan- fito said. A total of 389 traffic accidents were reported. There were no fatalities in 2010. “Traffic enforcement has a direct impact on the accident rate,” Nanfito said. The number of traffic citations and arrests made in 2010 dropped 52 per- cent from 2009. The decline can be attributed to having fewer staff to enforce traffic related offenses. The department has not had a full-time traffic enforcement officer since 2004. Speed enforcement has declined. There were 215 speeding tickets issued in 2009, while only 63 were given in 2010. The city’s traffic survey is out of date and has to be brought into compliance in order for speeding tick- ets to be upheld in court. Earlier this month, the City Council approved spending $8,500 on a traf- fic survey. That money was obtained through a public safety grant from the city’s insurer. Budget A large portion of the department’s funding comes from grants. Some of those grants could go away in June, putting more strain on the depart- ment’s limited budget. The department stands to lose about $655,808 in grant funding at the end of this fiscal year. Some of that is dependent on whether or not tax exten- sions are approved. Some, such as the school resource officer grant, will be gone. That grant is about $80,000 and is used to pay for one officer at Red Bluff Union High School. No longer having those grants would mean addi- tional expenses to the city, Nanfito said. “Without grants we would be at a loss in some cases,” he said. Staff A dwindling budget has resulted in losing staff. In the past 18 months there has been a 25 percent reduction. Personnel loss- es included sworn officers and unsworn positions, such as dispatchers, a community service officer and records specialists. More staff is needed, Nanfito said. In the mean- time, the department will have to continue to priori- tize cases. Along with building a reserve program, the department is looking into developing a program for Volunteers in Police Ser- vices. He would like the City Council to conceptually consider rebuilding the police department to its former level, Nanfito said. ——— Tang Lor can be reached at 527-2153, Ext. 110 or by e-mail at tlor@redbluffdai- lynews.com. Daily News photo by Andrea Wagner Molly Huber (left), 18, and Nereida Farias (right), 16, cuddle their sons, who were both born in January. and they want one of their own, Bable said. At the root of teen pregnancy is often a need for love that has not been met before, Geiger said. Brittany Spears, Bristol Palin and the movie “Juno,” which features a teen mother, aren’t as big an influ- ence as is the need to fill a void, Geiger said. In her work with the teens, Geiger has often seen teens who were foster children or who just did- n’t have a strong, healthy family life to start with. Some were introduced to methamphetamine or were pimped out for drugs by their par- ents, Geiger said. The Cal-SAFE program sees them after they become pregnant and tries to help them learn how to be caring and loving parents that they may not have had themselves. “We show them some love they’ve never had before,” Geiger said. Some of the teen mothers agreed that many of the girls who get pregnant are ones who have had a rough life. “Girls that have been through crap are the ones who get pregnant,” Farias said. “I think having a baby gets your mind off things.” The third and final story in this series deals with programs that are available locally for teen parents and threats to the funding for those programs. ——— Andrea Wagner can be reached at 527-2153, extension 114 or awagner@redbluffdailynews.com. Lawmakers make cuts as tough choices await SACRAMENTO (AP) — Democratic lawmak- ers on Thursday contin- ued to chip away at Cali- fornia’s $26.6 billion budget shortfall as Gov. Jerry Brown tried to per- suade Republicans to support his plans to elim- inate redevelopment agencies and call a spe- cial election for extend- ing tax hikes. The Legislature began taking up additional spending cuts, loans and transfers, which were being passed mostly by Democrats on a majority vote. Lawmakers in both houses began addressing the deficit Wednesday and hope to act on nearly $14 billion in solutions by the end of Thursday. ‘‘We are going to just keep moving and denting and reducing the deficit,“ said Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, before voting began in his house. The Legislature con- tinues to stall over Brown’s plan to elimi- nate the 400 redevelop- ment agencies through- out the state. It fell short by one Republican vote in the Assembly on Wednesday. Democrats did not plan to take up those difficult votes Thursday, leaving the toughest choices ahead. Steinberg said he would instruct his house to remain close to the Capitol through the weekend while Brown and Democratic leaders negotiate with whichever Republicans are willing to talk. ‘‘We certainly won’t be finished because the most significant pieces are remaining, namely, giving the people the right to choose not to cut education and public safety in ways that I don’t think even most Red Bluff Simple Cremations & Burial Service Family owned & Operated Honor and Dignity 527-1732 722 Oak Street, Red Bluff, FD Lic. 1931 Republicans will stand by,’’ Steinberg said. ‘‘At least give people a choice.’’ The Legislature on Wednesday agreed to cut health care services for the poor and elderly, among other spending cuts totaling an estimated $7.4 billion. Those bills were passed on a two- thirds majority vote with bipartisan support. But in a sign of how difficult it has become to navigate through the state budget process, Brown’s proposal to eliminate redevelopment agencies to save the state an esti- mated $1.7 billion fell one Republican vote short in the Assembly. The Legislature also had to invoke Proposition 25 for the first time Thursday after Republi- cans would not assure support of bills that tack- led giving counties more responsibility over inmates and parolees and making education fund- ing changes. Proposition 25 was approved by vot- ers last fall and changed the legislative vote requirement to pass a budget from two-thirds to a simple majority. Republicans also objected to improving state tax collections by making sure more tax- payers are complying with the law. Assuming he has the backing of all Democ- rats, Brown needs two Republican votes in each house in order to call a special election in June. The Democratic gover- nor wants to ask voters to extend higher sales, income and vehicle taxes for five years. Those tem- porary taxes passed under former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have begun to expire and the last of them are set to expire June 30.