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WEEKEND APRIL 30-MAY 1, 2011 Breaking news at: Making Obama Sweat USA Weekend www.redbluffdailynews.com See Inside RED BLUFF Marathon Men SPORTS 1B Weather forecast 10B Sunny 76/48 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 First Street gunshot victims named The man and woman found dead inside a First Street home Wednesday were identified Fri- day as Doyal William Meeks, 52, and Migdalia Phillips, 42, both of Red Bluff. An autopsy performed Fri- day determined that Meeks and Phillips died from a single gun- shot wound each, police said. The two were found after an 8:12 a.m. emergency call Wednesday about two unrespon- sive people inside the house. Meeks and Phillips were liv- ing together at 1136 First St. at the time of their deaths, police said. There are no known witnesses to the crime, and police are inves- tigating it as a possible domestic Not a drill violence murder and suicide. The California Department of Justice helped a Red Bluff police detective and a commu- nity service officer process the crime scene. The autopsies were per- formed at the Yolo County Coroner’s Office, police said. No further information is available for release. The results and conclusion of the Department of Justice investi- gation are pending. School calm following crime scene designation By TANG LOR Local housing inches back up DN Staff Writer With an improving real estate market people are buying homes again and sales are up compared to a year ago, local agents said. People are buying because they are recognizing the value of homes, and money and interest rates are good, said Adam Fedeli, president of the Chico Association of Realtors. “The word is out that now is a good time to shop,” Fedeli said. “Homes are more affordable than before.” The increase in sales can be attributed to several fac- tors. The conditions of properties have been better, said Teresa Smith, president of the Tehama County Associ- ation of Realtors. People being foreclosed on usually don’t have the time and means to strip their homes of furnishing, so buyers are getting a good deal. See LOCAL, page 9A Corning polls public on hazard plan By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Daily News photo by Andrea Wagner The two-bedroom home on First Street where two people were found dead from gunshot wounds Wednesday sits quietly Friday morning. The house is across the street from the Red Bluff Union High School cafeteria.The school kept staff, students and parents aware and safe during the investigation. By ANDREA WAGNER DN Staff Writer The yellow, two-bedroom rental home with white trim, a half-block from Union Street faces Red Bluff Union High School’s cafeteria windows. The short side street is a place where several parents drop off and pick up their children every school day. Shortly after parents and students arrived for school Wednesday, 1136 First St. became a taped-off crime scene. Emergency personnel discovered a man and woman with gunshot wounds dead inside the house. “Right when school started, (law enforcement) were State Democrats gather to celebrate wins, strategize SACRAMENTO (AP) — California Democrats are in a joyful mood after sweeping all nine statewide offices last year, picking up a seat in the state Assembly, defending Sen. Barbara Boxer’s post and returning Jerry Brown to the governor’s office after three decades. The rank-and-file can be expected to spend a fair amount of time pat- ting themselves on the back this weekend at their annual convention in Sacramento, their first statewide meeting since the November elections. But some of the eupho- ria has been overshad- owed by the difficult task of governing, particularly in a state that had faced a nearly $27 billion budget shortfall. Brown has so far failed to win the two Republican votes he needs in each house to place his pro- posed tax extensions on the ballot and follow through on his campaign pledge not to raise taxes without a vote of the peo- ple. California still faces a $15.4 billion budget deficit, and there’s no sign that Brown is any closer to a deal with the GOP, although he says he is still seeking a compromise that would allow a special election on his proposal to extend temporary increas- es in the sales, vehicle and income taxes. Brown is scheduled to address Democrats on Sunday at the convention. There is also uncertain- ty ahead for both major parties. An independent redistricting committee is 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 See DEMS, page 9A there and it was taped off,” said Principal Patrick Glea- son. The 911 call about two unresponsive people at the address came in at 8:12 a.m., just minutes into the high school’s first period. By second period, the coroner arrived at the start of what became a nine-hour investigation, police logs said. Gleason knew hundreds of students would be head- ing into the cafeteria for snack break at 10 a.m., so he contacted law enforcement for help, he said. See SCHOOL, page 9A CORNING— The city hosted a meeting Wednes- day led by Dimensions Unlimited, Inc. President Jan Rogala to discuss the Hazard Mitigation Plan staff has been working on for about three months. Dimensions is a com- prehensive emergency management specialist brought in to consult with the city on its plan, City Manager Steve Kimbrough said. “It’s absolutely critical that we develop a plan,” Kimbrough said at Tues- day’s City Council meet- ing. “It’s one of the key things to be able to get (Federal Emergency Man- agement Agency) funding. We’ve had at least two times its flooded in the city.” It was a repeating histo- ry that made FEMA realize the necessity of having a Hazard Mitigation Plan in place, Rogala said. “We found that every place that flooded, flooded again,” Rogala said. While the law requires cities and unincorporated areas alike to have a plan in place that is a collaborative effort of all residents, only 10 percent were in compli- ance three to four years ago, she said. That number is now at about 20 percent, which means more money is available for those who have complied, Rogala said. While grants are avail- See PLAN, page 9A Drinking from the fount of knowledge? By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer High-aah test scores should come easier for students at Antelope Ele- mentary School now that they are drinking Wat- aah. In preparation for STAR testing next week each student received a bottle of special water that should make them do better on the test. Wat-aah brand bottled water was created espe- cially for children with kid-friendly electrolytes that helps improve brain power, according the company’s Website. Students at Antelope saw how Wat-aah could help them be better test takers in a skit performed by teachers called “Mrs. White and the Seven Test Takers.” A class of students is preparing to take the STAR test when the Wicked Witch of the Test- ing Center enters the room and puts a spell on the students, who become obnoxious and don’t want to take the test. Mrs. White doesn’t Daily News photo by Tang Lor Students at Antelope School receive special water to help boost their brain power during STAR testing week. know why the students have suddenly lost inter- est in taking the test. For- tunately, the school prin- cipal realizes what is hap- pening and chases the Wicked Witch out of the room. He gives the stu- dents Wat-aah and they settle down to take the test. A few months later the test results show the students’ scores improved. Although the teachers’ skit was just an act, at least one student says he has experienced the power of Wat-aah. Third-grader Gavin Purcell heard about Wat- aah from his teacher, Nicole Burroughs. When he saw it at the store he wanted to try it. After drinking the water he fin- See FOUNT, page 9A