Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/31706
Monday, May 16, 2011 – Daily News 7A GLORY Continued from page 1A as Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Independence Day. Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, Demo sent to Public Works Director John Brewer a list of 10 trees that he would like to see trimmed as they could potentially damage the flags. Now that he has put the flags out, that number could be less, Demo said. In an April 29 letter, Brewer wrote that only certified arborists are allowed to trim the trees. Mayor Gary Strack said the cost for shaping the trees was about $39,400 every two years. The trees in question were planted by volunteers as a downtown beautification project and because of the time spent shaping them are a valuable asset to the city, Brewer said. The city does not have anyone qualified to prune or shape the trees, nor the staff hours to do the job. “I’m not talking a drastic pruning job,” Demo said. “Just a few limbs as small as my finger. I need an hour or two a year in the budget. How do I get there?” Demo said he took on the project to honor veterans. “I’m not doing (the flags) for me,” Demo said. “It’s for everyone who served our country.” Other business • Former Councilman Ross Turner was appointed to serve as trustee of Tehama County Mosquito and Vec- tor Control District, filling a vacancy created by the passing of Walter Dodd who served on the board of trustees as Corning’s representative for more than 19 years. The term is set to expire Dec. 31, 2012. • The council approved a payment for a new traffic signal at Marguerite Avenue and Solano Street in the amount of $21,566. The completion target of June 15 might be post- poned about a week, Brewer said, as a gas line had to be relocated as a part of the construction. • The council had two proclamations — May as Mental Health Month and May 15-21 as Poppy Days in Corning. The Corning City Council meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at City Hall, 794 Third St. Meeting minutes and agendas are available at www.corning.org. ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com. BUDGET Continued from page 1A Southern California. ‘‘But it may undercut (Brown’s) case for the tax exten- sion.’’ Republicans have seized on news of the cash influx to argue that exten- sions of the vehicle, sales and personal income taxes approved two years ago are unnecessary. Assem- bly Minority Leader Con- nie Conway, R-Tulare, sent Brown a letter Tues- day urging him to use the $2.5 billion in unanticipat- ed revenue to help fund public education. She also wants him to avoid sus- pending a state law requir- ing that schools receive a minimum amount of fund- ing each year. The governor’s finance director, Ana Matosantos, is cautioning that even though the state has more money in its coffers, it doesn’t come close to cov- ering the state’s budget shortfall, or the difference between tax revenue and spending commitments. California’s deficit rep- resents about 18 percent of its $84.6 billion general fund, most of which goes to public schools, colleges and health and human ser- vice programs. Lawmak- ers also have to consider possible cost increases involving education, health care and prisons, Matosantos said. California has dealt with deep deficits since the recession began in 2007. Inside and outside the state Capitol last week, teachers, parents and stu- dents rallied to protect education from further cuts. Thousands partici- pated in a statewide, weeklong series of ‘‘State of Emergency’’ protests to draw attention to the effects of education spending cuts. Led by the 325,000- member California Teach- ers Association, the largest teachers union in the state, activists called on law- makers to extend the sales, income and vehicle taxes before they expire. Brown wants the extensions to go before voters in a special election, but the teachers want a legislative vote soon to avoid imperiling about 20,000 public school jobs in the coming school year. There are cautious signs of an improved economy, which would make the state’s problems more manageable if it con- tinues. The California New Car Dealers Associa- tion reported that new vehicle registrations increased 19.7 percent in the first three months of the year compared to 2010. And the state’s all- important agricultural industry is seeing a turn- around after three years of reduced water supplies. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects that the number of acres in California planted with cotton this year will jump 26 percent to 385,000 compared with 2010 while wheat acreage will rise 18 percent to 915,000. The fertile Central Val- ley is being helped by strong exports from the weak dollar, good weather and increased consumer demand. Farmers notice melons and tomatoes growing again on land for- merly fallowed by drought QUILT Continued from page 1A to two quilting guilds, she said. Two of her grand- mothers got her into quilt- ing. Others came with their families to enjoy the show. Debbie Lomont, 57, of Cottonwood has been quilting for 30 years with her mother, she said. They were at the show together. “I come every year to see the new and the differ- ent, to see what people’s imaginations are doing,” Lomont said. Quilting is often a skill handed down through gen- erations. June and Leonard Kirk, of the Bowman area north of Red Bluff, brought their grandchildren Jessica Kirk, 10, Candyce GEAR Continued from page 1A grade; Emily Mora, sixth grade; Avree Mulliner, eighth grade and Cindy Villa, seventh grade. The recipients and eighth-grader Wyatt Haywood, an alternate, were selected out of 43 applications in a schoolwide competition that includ- ed an application, essay and teacher recommendations, Harris said. Being named an alternate means Haywood is eligible to receive a schol- arship if any student awarded a $2,000 scholarship either at Maywood or another school does not go to college or for whatever reason loses it, Harris said. and environmental restric- tions. ‘‘The land was just sit- ting there collecting tum- ble weeds,’’ said Paul Wenger, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation and a third- generation Modesto farmer. ‘‘It’s good to see them back because it’s putting people to work and generating economic activity, which the state needs.’’ But California still has a long way to go toward balancing its books, said Brad Williams, a former chief economist at the Legislative Analyst’s Office who is now with Capitol Matrix Consult- ing. The recovery, he cau- tioned, appears to be not as strong as in the late 1990s during the dot-com boom or during the more recent housing bubble. ‘‘The budget is still under enormous pres- sure,’’ Williams said. ‘‘If you don’t get tax exten- sions, you are still looking at deep cuts in state pro- grams and education.’’ Citing a report from the Legislative Analyst’s Office, Democrats have warned that an all-cuts budget would force schools to cut billions more, shortening the school year and swelling class sizes. Assembly Republicans believe there is a way to balance the remaining gap without taxes or cuts to education. The caucus has issued a proposal to cut state workers’ wages by another 10 percent, raid special funds intended for mental health and early childhood development programs, and make fur- ther social service cuts to the poor, disabled and Bradley, 10, and Noah Sowl, 11, to visit and see the quilts together. Their daughter, Roxi Bradley of Bradley Quilt Co. was a vendor at the show. After looking through all the displays, the chil- dren, who each have made quilts before, all picked favorites. Jessica Kirk picked “Solar,” she said. “I like all the colors and all the planets,” she said. “It’s very beautiful.” “Solar” by Joyce Grav- ell has 12 large framed planet scenes stitched with vivid purples, greens and yellows. Sowl preferred a more down-to-earth themed quilt. “Bear Country” was his favorite. “I liked it because of all the brown colors,” Sowl said. “Bear Country” by Merle Geiss features a large bear created with layers of different shades of brown material in the forefront. The background is a scene of trees and mountains. After looking through the displays and vendor booths, the family headed into another area for a spe- cial project. Each person was given the opportunity to “block” nine squares of material. After choosing nine pre-cut squares, sew- ers stitched them together on site. The pieces will be used for community ser- vice projects in which the guild gives quilts to needy groups. The guild sees quilting as a way to bring people together. “Our world has become one community through technology,” said the show brochure. “In the same Harris thanked members of May- wood's Gear- Up leadership team, including Phil Mishoe, Lynda Robi- nette, Khrystie Shoemaker, Steve Dil- lon and Jim Stevenson. Harris praised the parents in atten- dance and pointed out that the students in the room Thursday represented $16,000 in scholarships to all three grades at Maywood. “Parents, we want to congratulate you because you have great kids,” Har- ris said. “Congratulations to all recipi- ents tonight because you did an excel- lent job. I applaud you and absolutely appreciate your parents because we couldn’t do it without them.” Vance Mills, California’s School Base Manager for Gear-Up came up from San Diego for the event and elderly. Brown and Democratic lawmakers already have reduced the original $26.6 billion deficit through spending cuts and trans- fers between government funds. Lawmakers have yet to tackle the gover- nor’s plan to eliminate some 400 community redevelopment agencies across the state and end a popular business tax credit in distressed areas. The administration has estimated the two changes would save the state about $2.7 billion through June 2012. Brown also wants to amend a corporate tax break known as single- sales factor to save the state another $1.5 billion. The governor’s revised budget plan will renew talks that had stalled earli- er this year with Republi- can senators who sought pension reforms for state employees, a state spend- ing cap and regulatory changes to ease the burden on businesses. The gover- nor could opt to release two budgets — one that includes the tax increases and another that shows what would happen if the entire deficit is closed through spending cuts. Whether Brown can corral a politically polar- ized Legislature remains to be seen. Lawmakers have one month to meet their constitutional dead- line to pass a budget. ‘‘There’s only so much one individual leader can do,’’ Pitney said. ‘‘The dull bureaucrat Gray Davis couldn’t do it. The ‘Terminator’ Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn’t do it. We’ll see if the elder statesman Jerry Brown can do it.’’ Sobriety comes to Bay to Breakers SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A handful of Elvises, some nudists and others donning salmon costumes were among those who turned out to party Sunday during the centennial Bay to Breakers footrace, despite a new zero-tolerance alcohol policy. Moroccan Ridouane Harroufi won the annual race — a 7.46-mile run from the city’s Embarcadero neighborhood to the sea. Kenyan Lineth Chepkurui won for the women. Over the years, Bay to Breakers has become more famous for its spectators’ bacchanalian spirit than for its competitors. Racers turn out in proper athletic gear, as well as cre- ative costumes. This year, some ran the route backward. For its 100th anniversary, organiz- ers and police vowed to crack down on excessive drinking, banning floats that often housed many kegs of beer and starting the race earlier. Officials said the tougher rules on drinking were needed after a notice- able increase in alcohol-related ambulance requests and nuisance crimes like public urination. In previous years, the city turned a blind eye to liquor-filled water bot- tles, and the floats. The tactic this year seemed to work, with most participants and spectators admitting it was a more mellow race. “I don’t think there was as much urinating this year from what I’ve seen so far,” resident Matt Darling told KGO-TV. “This is awesome, this is what it’s about. Then we come back and just watch the chaos hap- pen.” Police told the TV station that this year’s race was less rowdy than pre- vious years. They made 25 arrests, mostly for public drunkenness, and at least two floats were forced to leave the route. Police also say one man suffered life-threatening injuries after falling 30 feet from the roof of a house near the race course. Revelers turned out despite the crackdown, and someone set up a Twitter feed to help them dodge police check points. Officers along the route confiscated open cans of beer and other alcohol, dumping them on the spot. Open containers of alcohol are illegal in the city. Independently owned Telephone: (530) 824-3792 way so has quilting, bring- ing a world of beauty to all. Techniques, fabric, books, magazines and pat- terns come from all around the world.” Seen as a way for peo- ple to express themselves through art, quilting is a passion to share with oth- ers. Sun Country Quilters of Red Bluff was estab- lished in 1994 and now has more than 120 mem- bers. The guild’s goal is to contribute to the expan- sion of quilting knowledge through meetings, fun and fellowship. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. the fourth Mon- day of every month at the Red Bluff Community and Senior Center, at 1500 S. Jackson St. For more information visit www.suncountryquilters.c om. served as the keynote speaker. “We’ve been to over 300 middle schools and given out $11 million in scholarships over the years,” Mills said. “There’s one reason I came tonight and that’s because I really care about your Gear-Up staff here. They’re doing one heck of a job. We know you have a few more years (before college) but now they’ve provided you with a carrot.” Mills thanked the parents and stu- dents. “Best of luck to all of you and thank you parents,” Mill said. “ You have done something right or your students wouldn’t be here.” ——— Julie Zeeb can be reached at 527-2153, extension 115 or jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com. Bid to name Lake Tahoe cove after Twain fails RENO, Nev. (AP) — Mark Twain will have to wait to get recognition in the state where he assumed his pen name nearly 150 years ago. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names has rejected a bid by its Nevada counterpart to name a scenic Lake Tahoe cove for Samuel Clemens, which was Mark Twain’s real name. The Nevada State Board on Geographic Names voted in September to back the request in part because there is no geographic feature in the state named for Twain, whose book ‘‘Roughing It’’ put Nevada on the map. But the national board, which denied the bid on a 5-4 vote Thursday, cited opposition by the U.S. Forest Service and doubt about whether Twain actually camped at the spot in 1861 as the Nevada board maintains. ‘‘Here you have a state saying one thing, and a land agency saying something else,’’ said Lou Yost, executive secretary of the national board. ‘‘The Forest Service oppo- sition was a major factor to a lot of board members.’’ The federal agency said it objected to naming the inlet on Lake Tahoe’s northeast shore near Incline Village for Twain because his influence on the Sierra Nevada lake was minimal and other historical figures were more deserving of the honor. While Twain wrote adoringly about Lake Tahoe, includ- ing an oft-quoted poetic phrase about the lake, the Forest Service noted that ‘‘his legacy also is that he carelessly started a forest fire and then returned to Carson City.’’ Twain accidentally started a wildfire in September 1861 at Lake Tahoe while preparing to cook dinner. He and a companion staked a timber claim there, weeks after he arrived in Carson City with his brother, Orion, then secre- tary of Nevada Territory. Twain later assumed his pen name as a newspaper reporter in nearby Virginia City. That first trip to Lake Tahoe inspired Twain to write the famous lines: ‘‘As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface, I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords.’’ In his writings, Twain provides only vague clues about his timber camp’s location. Nevada historians have embraced research of retired Forest Service hydrologist Larry Schmidt of Minden, who concluded Twain walked from Carson City to Glenbrook on the lake’s east shore, then boated six miles north to the cove camp near Incline Village. Over 50 years of serving Tehama County