Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/336404
ByAlbertoArce The Associated Press ARRIAGA, MEXICO Onthe last day of school, Gladys Chinoy memorized her mother's phone number in New York City and boarded a bus to Guatemala's north- ern border. With nothing but the clothes on her back, the 14-year-old took a truck- tire raft across the Nara- njo River into Mexico and joinedagroupoffivewomen and a dozen children wait- ing with one of the smug- glers who are paid $6,000 to $7,000 for each migrant they take to the U.S. The women and children waited bythetrain tracks in thissmalltowninthesouth- ern state of Chiapas until the shriek of a train whistle and the glare of headlights pierced the night. Suddenly, dozensofteensandmothers withyoungchildrenflooded out of darkened homes and budget hotels, rushing to grab the safest places on the roof of the northbound freight train and join a del- uge of children and moth- ersthatisoverwhelmingthe U.S. immigration system. The number of unaccom- panied minors detained on the U.S. border has more than tripled since 2011. Children are also widely believed to be crossing with their parents in rising num- bers, although the Obama administration has not re- leased year-by-year fig- ures. The crisis has sparked weeks of bitter political de- bate inside the U.S., with the administration saying crime is driving migrants north from Central Amer- ica and congressional Re- publicans saying Obama's policies are leading mi- grants to believe children and their mothers will be allowed to stay. In interviews along the primary migrant route north to the United States, dozens of migrants like Gladys indicated that both sides are right. A vast majority said they were fleeing gang violence that has reached epidemic levels in Guatemala, Hon- duras and El Salvador in recent years. The migrants also uniformly said they decided to head north be- cause they had heard that a change in U.S. law requires the Border Patrol to swiftly release children and their mothers and let them stay in the United States. The belief that women and children can safely sur- render to authorities the moment they set foot in the U.S. has changed the cal- culus for tens of thousands of parents who no longer worry about their children finishing the dangerous trip north through Mexico with a potentially deadly multi- day hike through the desert Southwest. "The United States is giv- ing us a great opportunity because now, with this new law, we don't have to try to cross the desert where so many people die. We can hand ourselves over di- rectly to the authorities," Gladys said. IMMIGRATION REBECCABLACKWELL—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS In this Friday, June 20, 2014photo, Central American migrants wait atop the freight train they had been traveling north on, as it starts to rain a er the train suffered a minor derailment Friday outside Reforma de Pineda, Chiapas state, Mexico. The train remained stuck in the remote wooded area for a day and a half. Child migrants head to US for safety, belief they can stay By Juliet Williams The Associated Press SACRAMENTO The first public opinion poll since California's June 3 pri- mary shows Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown main- taining a 20-point lead over his general election challenger, Republican Neel Kashkari. The Field Poll released Wednesday found 52 per- cent support for Brown among likely voters, while 32 percent support the for- mer U.S. Treasury official who is making his first run for public office. The rest were undecided. Brown, 76, is seeking an unprecedented fourth term as governor after serving from 1975-1983 and is considered the strong favorite in Novem- ber. Although he has not held any public campaign events, the poll found he is regarded favorably by more than half the likely voters surveyed. He also has more than $21 mil- lion in his re-election ac- count. Equally important, ac- cording to the poll, is Brown's strong name rec- ognition after a lifetime in politics. He has served as attorney general, secre- tary of state and as mayor of Oakland. His father, Pat Brown, also served two terms as governor. That family history and long career in the public eye mean that far more voters have an opinion of him. While 85 percent of re- spondents could offer ei- ther a positive or negative appraisal of Brown, only about 44 percent could do so for Kashkari, a former Goldman Sachs invest- ment banker who oversaw the Treasury's bank bail- out during the height of the recession. Kashkari, 41, overcame Republican state Assem- blyman Tim Donnelly dur- ing the primary. Their race was a study in contrasts, pitting tea party favorite Donnelly against socially moderate Kashkari. Kashkari made headway introducing himself to vot- ers during that campaign. But he will need millions of dollars to raise his pro- file throughout the state and mount a credible chal- lenge to Brown, who will have the added campaign muscle of organized labor. In the only TV ad of the primary campaign, Kash- kari took aim at the $68 billion high-speed rail project Brown supports. Other issues that could play into the November race include efforts to re- vamp the $11.1 billion wa- ter bond on the ballot, which Brown wants to cut to $6 billion, and Brown's controversial realignment program, which sends most lower-level criminals to county jails instead of state prisons. Kashkari campaign manager Pat Melton said the GOP candidate's fa- vorability rating has risen dramatically among voters who were targeted in June. "Once all voters exam- ine the governor's dismal record overseeing the na- tion's worst schools, jobs climate, and poverty, we're confident they'll support Neel's positive, inclusive message and his plans to rebuild the middle class," Melton said in an emailed response. A spokesman for Brown's re-election cam- paign, Dan Newman, said voters support the gover- nor's "wise stewardship" and prudent approach to spending that was epito- mized in the $108 billion general fund budget he signed last week. That budget creates a rainy day fund for the state and starts paying down $74 billion in un- funded teacher retirement liabilities. "Priority one is going to be to continue to govern, but that also happens to be a viable way for voters to get a sense of how he would govern in another term," Newman said. Brown will consider of- fers to debate Kashkari, including one from news media outlets in Sacra- mento that Kashkari ac- cepted last week, he said. Field interviewed 982 likely voters from June 5-22. The poll has a sam- pling error margin of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points for likely voters. POLITICS Brown maintains strong lead in governor's race The Associated Press SACRAMENTO Califor- nia's Sacramento Zoo is urging homeowners to think of their tree trim- mings and other yard waste as a potential meal for its animals. Zoo officials have been placing door hangers in some neighborhoods ask- ing for donations of clip- pings from trees and shrubs that various ani- mals, including giraffes and zebras, find tasty, the Sacramento Bee reported on Tuesday. Officials want to sup- plement the trimmings from trees on zoo prop- erty. "We hope that it will take off so that dona- tions can provide what we need instead of cutting on zoo property," said Me- lissa McCartney, primary keeper of ungulate stock at the Sacramento Zoo. "The tree trimmings we need to provide the ani- mals are more than what we can get." M c C a r t n e y s a i d branches are better for the animals than food pel- lets because they also give them something to do. The sitatunga, a marsh dweller from central Af- rica, for example, plays with his food. "He likes the elm and mulberry, and after he strips all the leaves off, he likes to fight the branch with his horns," said Mc- Cartney. "He gets the most enjoyment out of it." The list of desired plants includes many that are common in Sacra- mento, such as ash, bam- boo and cottonwood. The plants must not be treated with pesticide, and must be free of dis- ease. There are also some trees and shrubs that are toxic to animals. That list includes ole- ander, oak, camphor and most pines. At least 40 animals at the zoo receive trees and shrubs each day, though giraffes get the most. An adult giraffe can consume 75 to 100 pounds of leaves a day. The zoo has five gi- raffes. STATE Sa cr am en to z oo s ee ks yard waste to feed animals PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Thank you! Smog Check (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. starting at $ 29 95 + $ 8 25 certificate SERVICESATLOWERPRICES All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K MembersWelcome STOVEJUNCTION The TheNorthState'spremiersupplierofstoves 22825 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff 530-528-2221 • Fax 530-528-2229 www.thestovejunction.com Over 25 years of experience Tues-Sat9am-5pm• ClosedSun&Mon Now Carrying! GreenMountainGrills & Accessories Serving Butte, Glenn & Tehama Counties RUNNINGS ROOFING SheetMetalRoofing ResidentialCommercial • Composition • Shingle • Single Ply Membrane Ownerisonsiteoneveryjob ServingTehamaCounty 530-527-5789 530-209-5367 No Money Down! 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