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Obituaries CATALINA S. CONTRERAS April 2, 2011 at home. She was born on May 30, 1925 in Hutchinson, Kansas. She lived with her parents and siblings in Kansas and Oklahoma where her father migrat- ed and worked for the railroad company. The great de- pression of 1929 forced her father to return to Mexico in 1929 where Catalina was raised in Tangancicuaro, Michocan in Mexico during her youth and as a young woman. She had fond memories of growing up in Tangancicuaro. Catalina was a long time resident, since 1950 in Red Bluff. Sister Mary Raymond of the Sacred Heart convent wrote a letter to pre deceased sister Amalia Moreno about her sick husband. Both Catalina and Amalia came to Red Bluff. Catalina lived in the convent with Sister Mary Raymond, Sister Mary Columba and the other sisters. She worked at the old St. Elizabeth Hospital until she met her late husband, Pedro Contreras in 1956. She was a member of Sacred Heart Church where she got married in February 1957. Along with her husband, she raised 3 children, as she worked. Always making time for her family she had made time for the church and school functions. Surviving her is her daughter and son-in-law Margie and Ignacio Zamacona of Red Bluff, grandson Peter K. Contreras-Zamacona of Red Bluff, son Fernando Contreras of San Francisco, adopted son Peter Gass of San Francisco, adopted daughter Brenda (Marshall) Swain of Red Bluff, sisters Virginia Chaves, Audelia Leyva and Dometila Hernandez, all of Mexico, and numerous neph- ews and nieces. She was pre deceased by her daughter Viatres Contreras in January 1990, and her husband Pedro Contreras in October 2006. Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, April 7, 2011 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Hoyt-Cole Chapel of the Flowers. Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 8, 2011 at Sacred Heart Church at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, dona- tions may be made to the American Diabetes Association at http://www.diabetes.org/home The family wishes help to find a cure for someone you love. Death Notice Robert Eugene Mills Robert Eugene Mills died Friday, April 1, 2011, in his home in Corning. He was 87. Hall Bros. Corning Mortuary is handling the arrangements. Published Wednesday, April 6, 2011, in the Daily News, Red Bluff, Calif. BROWN Have a news tip? Call 527-2151, Ext. 112 accounting gimmicks to close the deficit. Continued from page 1A Democrats have wide majorities in the Assembly and Senate, but two Republican votes are needed in each house to reach the two-thirds threshold required for approving a ballot mea- sure or tax increases. Brown had hoped to have a vote before the July 1 start of the fiscal year, when the remaining tax extensions run out. He said it was unclear how soon a special election could be held, but pursu- ing an initiative by collect- ing signatures on a peti- tion would likely take longer than trying to strike a deal in the Legislature. The Legislature approved temporary increases to the three taxes in 2009, but all will expire by the end of June. Brown wants those tax increases renewed for another five years, bringing in about $9.2 billion a year. The governor said he will present a balanced budget revision by his May 14 deadline, and it will be up to the state Leg- islature to decide whether to pursue honest cuts or Earlier this year, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office laid out the scope of cuts that would be needed to close a deficit of slightly less than the $15.4 billion deficit Brown still faces. The cuts would include nearly $5 billion to K-12 schools, another $585 mil- lion to community col- leges, $1.1 billion from universities, including a 10 percent student fee increase at California State University campus- es, and $1.2 billion in cuts to health and social ser- vices. The report also said state employee pay would have to be cut by another 9.2 percent, employee contributions to health care would have to rise by 30 percent, and $2.6 bil- lion would have to be cut from criminal justice and public safety programs. Brown also plans to tour the state in the com- ing weeks to push his mes- sage about the need for more tax revenue to avoid decimating longstanding programs that he said peo- ple rely on. He spoke to reporters Tuesday before addressing a meeting of Catalina S. Contreras, 85, of Red Bluff died Saturday, WOMAN Continued from page 1A still care for her mother. “Probation is still punishment because there’s restriction on what she can do,” Heller said. “It would be a just outcome.” Two of Holder’s relatives testi- fied that no other family members were physically capable of taking care of Holder’s mother. Her mother would probably end up having to be put in a care facility, which no fam- ily members could financially sup- port either. District Attorney Gregg Cohen asked for a maximum state prison term, saying Holder’s actions was a betrayal of trust that has victimized the company and its employees and shareholders. Wheeler’s accountant David Scott testified to the extent of which the company has suffered financial- ly. “The company would be debt free today if it were not for Mrs. Holder’s embezzlement,” Scott said. The company has no net worth, and while it is still solvent, the rep- utation of the company has suffered STATE Continued from page 1A committee members Cor- nelius, Marvin Locke, J.B. Stacy and Venita Philbrick as co-chairmen of resource development. “We’re starting our cap- ital campaign by contact- ing and interacting with an impressive list in excess of 50 community members who have been sponsors or supporters in the past decade,” Cornelius said. The group plans to develop a relationship with the business commu- nity, community service clubs and local founda- tions to have them assist in purchasing the theater, he said. “We anticipate these activities will comprise the first few months of our fundraising efforts after which we intend to have a kick off gala at the State Theatre,” Cornelius said. While plans are not definite yet, the group the California Medical Association in Sacramen- to. Brown said it’s impera- tive that Californians understand the possible ramifications of an all-cuts budget, because many people, including lawmak- ers, still seem to think “something will turn up,” instead of cuts or taxes to close the deficit. “I don’t think it’s clear — because when I talk to some of the Republicans, they don’t want to cut the university and they don’t want to cut schools, but they don’t want to extend taxes. So I think there is not yet a full understand- ing of what the true alter- natives are,” he said. Brown had been negoti- ating with five Republi- cans in the Senate before he ended the talks. Those lawmakers wanted reforms to the public pen- sion system, a firm cap on state spending in the future and regulatory changes that would help businesses in exchange for supporting a special elec- tion to extend the tax increases. The governor pulled out of the talks after the Republican leadership presented him with a making it tougher to apply for cred- it. Without credit the company would no longer be hired by compa- nies such as Sierra Pacific Industries to do work. The whole logging industry has suffered because of Holder’s actions, Scott said. Steve McCarthy, an attorney rep- resenting the company, provided testimony on behalf of Wheeler employees that described the hard- ship they have faced as a result of Holder’s action. Retirement plans for employees, some of whom worked for 30 to 40 years and are in their 70s, are in jeopardy. Their retirement plans have gone unfund- ed because the company can no longer afford to make matching con- tributions. With about 100 or so employees, many families in Tehama County depend on Wheeler, and Holder stole from them. Her actions have sent a ripple through the communi- ty, McCarthy said. The employees are very anxious for the court to impose the maximum sentence. “Mrs. Holder is the very type of person that should be in prison,” McCarthy said. “Her crime has affected this entire community.” Holder and her attorney both said hopes to have the gala in June or July to kick off the major fundraising efforts, he said. “Every member of this community will have an opportunity to invest in and enhance programming product,” Cornelius said. “There will be a new cul- ture and arts programming hopefully resulting in eco- nomic gain for historic downtown Red Bluff.” The board has previ- ously identified six strate- gic goals, including hold- ing title to the State The- atre and implementing a four-year plan by Dec. 31, 2011, he said. The plan would be to restore or renovate the facilities, equipment, fur- nishings and finishes as needed in order to accom- modate its function as a community arts center and catalyst for economic development of historic downtown Red Bluff. “We want that commu- nity element,” Cornelius said. “To be a historic and economic anchor for seven-page list of demands, which he said was unrealistic, but he said Tuesday that he had con- versations with some Republicans over the weekend. Meanwhile, Brown faces pressure from some of the groups that would be hardest hit by further cuts. Three First 5 agencies from the Central Valley filed a lawsuit against the state on Tuesday, alleging that the budget bills Brown signed last month illegally transferred about $1 billion in tobacco tax funding intended for chil- dren’s programs into the state general fund. California voters approved Proposition 10 in 1998, adding 50 cents in taxes to each cigarette pack to help pay for health and education programs for poor children under age 5. The leaders of Califor- nia’s university and com- munity college systems also met with Brown at the Capitol on Tuesday for a meeting to press their case for continued funding. “We estimate if there’s an all-cuts budget that we will have to turn away 400,000 students in the California immigration bills die in committee SACRAMENTO (AP) — A legislative committee on Tuesday rejected twin bills by a Republican lawmaker who sought to crack down on illegal immigration in California, in part by requiring citizenship verification for anyone applying for a job or public benefits. The legislation by Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, a tea party member from San Bernardino County, faced long odds in a Legislature controlled by Democrats. His main bill, AB26, would have allowed residents to sue so-called “sanctuary cities,” which do not cooperate with federal immigration officials, and required employers to verify applicants’ citizenship. It was rejected on a party- line, 7-3 vote by the Assembly Judiciary Committee. It dealt the same fate to a shorter bill, AB1018, which would have required the citizenship check for anyone applying for public benefits. Assemblyman Brian Jones, who co-authored AB26, said it was not an anti-immigrant bill but rather would have forced local government to comply with federal law. “You either support the constitution, or you usurp the constitution,” said Jones, R-Santee. But committee chairman Mike Feuer, D-Los Angeles, called the bill unconstitutional and said it was “needlessly divisive.” He agreed with business representatives who said it would cost the state jobs and with law enforcement officials who said it would make Californians less safe by diverting resources otherwise used to fight more serious crimes. Donnelly said his legislation would adopt parts of an Arizona law passed last year and seen as the toughest mea- sure adopted by any state against illegal immigration. Neither of his bills, however, contained language sim- ilar to the most high-profile provision of the Arizona law, which directed law enforcement officers to check the cit- izenship status of anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally. That stipulation and much of the rest of the law are on hold as it is being contested in federal court. Wednesday, April 6, 2011 – Daily News – 7A she is remorseful for her actions. “I am very sorry for my wrong- doing and my bad judgment and my bad choices,” Holder said. Judge Todd Bottke said he under- stood her remorse, but her sense of entitlement to some of the material property that was purchase with the money she embezzled is counter intuitive. Her crime involved a degree of callousness, and she took advantage of a position of trust. Bottke did not find her eligible for probation and sentenced her to state prison. She was ordered to pay restitution to Wheeler, though the amount is yet to be specified. “The sense of entitlement that you had is unfathomable,” Bottke said. As for the argument that Holder’s mother would become collateral damage, Bottke said, “The damage that Mrs. Holder did to others far outweighs the damage that may be done to her mother.” ——— Tang Lor can be reached at 527- 2153, Ext. 110 or by e-mail at tlor@redbluffdailynews.com. downtown Red Bluff. The volunteers over the last 10 years have done a fantastic job. We believe we can build on what has occurred in the past and bring in bigger name acts and paid staff within the next few years.” The plan is to empha- size services to children, seniors and all compo- nents of the community at free or minimal cost to provide the cultural ele- ment for the city, he said. All of this would not be possible without the volun- teers over the years or the group who came together to form the steering com- mittee, Cornelius said. “The board and steer- ing committee put in well over a year and countless hundreds of hours have gone into this,” Cornelius said. “They’ve put togeth- er the feasibility study and resource packet to provide to the community. We’re here today because of the hard work of the volun- teers over the past 10 years, the prior board next school year. That’s not only a tragedy for those students, it’s a tragedy for the economy of the state of California,” Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott said. University of California system President Mark Yudof said the state needs to continue investing in members and the generos- ity of other contributing community members.” Cornelius said the own- ers have played a tremen- dous part in the group get- ting to where it has. “I’d like to thank the current owners for their generosity in terms of their interest in continuing this as a community resource,” Cornelius said. “The owners have also recently completed in excess of $100,000 in improvements at the State Theatre and absorbed more than half the cost on their own.” Some of it will be reim- bursed in the cost of the purchase price, he said. Those interested in more information or in donating to the State The- atre For The Arts can visit www.statetheatrefort- hearts.com. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews. com. education that breeds entrepreneurship if it is to survive in the global econ- omy. ‘‘It’s a state that’s going to compete because of the smarts of its people, but not because we’re a low- wage state or a low-tax state or a low-regulation state,“ he said. THE PASSING PARADE Walter H. Dodd went to his reward last Wednesday, age 83. I heard he had been struck by a vehicle in a parking lot, but the Corning Observer reported he died of a heart ailment in the Mercy Medical Center in Redding...and they would know. I first came across the bachelor Dodd via his letter where he had expressed interest in buying the 96 year old Corning Daily Observer. My response was, “We have accepted a bid, opened escrow and expect to close the sale in March, but if the sale does not go through, will advise.” However, the escrow failed, Walter entered a bid, and it was accepted by owner Mari Petty Barrill. We had received over 20 offers to purchase that newspaper! Those were the days! I don’t recall how Walter slipped in and bought it with so much competition from Alaska to New York, the deep south and the far west. He wrote, from Washington DC back in August of 1983, “I am looking for a good community to live in, with growth prospects, schools, hospital and cultural activities…and to purchase a newspaper that will pay for itself based on current gross and income after a reasonable down payment.” Needless to say, he found all that when he bought the Observer and moved to Corning. He had met all his objectives. His letter concluded, “I am active in the Air Force Reserve, so a location near a major Air Force installation would be highly advisable.” What he did not mention was that he was a dyed in the wool Democrat and very politically active in that regard. He could often be found at candidates nights prior to local elections and often was the moderator of same. I struggle to remember more about Walter Dodd, a very private person, even though I knew him well. He would occasionally drop by our office to discuss things of interest, which invariably led to politics. Prior to election time he would ask me to find a store front for the local Democratic headquarters. As many commercial buildings were owned by Republicans, they were often reluctant to lease to Walter. When informed of a negative response he would smile, ever so slightly and deliver a pungent assessment of the owner and how the owner’s candidate was destined to lose the election. Though he smiled rarely, I think he was his happiest when Mr. Obama became President. He appeared vindicated in his belief that the future belonged to the leaders of his political persuasion. I have an old photo taken in front of David Rodgers law office in Corning about the time Walter bought the Observer. It shows Walter, pale as usual, the pretty blonde owner and publisher Mari Petty Barrell, and me. We all look fit and ready for what might come next. R.I.P. Walter Dodd Robert Minch 1929- The Passing Parade is brought to you by by Minch Property Management, 760 Main Street specializing in commercial leasing and sales. 530 527 5514