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MONDAY JUNE 27, 2011 Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com Newest health fad See 4A Vitality RED BLUFF Spartan Fun-Run Sports 1B Sunny 95/63 Weather forecast 8B 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 No place like home Truck company in Nevada train wreck had citations SPARKS, Nev. (AP) — A Nevada trucking company under scrutiny for a fiery crash with an Amtrak train that left at least six dead has been cited repeatedly by state authorities for crashes, unsafe driving and operating a truck with tires so bald the vehicle had to be taken off the road. A driver working for John Davis Trucking Co. of Battle Mountain smashed through crossing gates and into two double-decker cars of an Amtrak train Friday, killing the driver and five people on the train. Federal records reviews by The Associated Press on Sunday show the Nevada Department of Public Safety cited the company for two crashes in the last two years, including one in February 2010 that injured a person in Washoe County. In a January inspection, authorities found tires on one company tractor-trailer so bald they deemed the rig an imminent hazard to public safety. Meanwhile, Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Chuck Allen said Sunday that officials for the Churchill Coun- ty Coroner Office continued to sift through the rubble of two rail cars gutted by the fire that burned extremely hot. He said they have asked at least one forensic anthro- pologist to assist them late Sunday or Monday. ‘‘I think it was so hot that they want to make sure Daily News photo by Andrea Wagner (Above) Boaters enjoy the helicopter show, Saturday, at the River Park Festival in downtown Red Bluff. (Below) One of the participants in the water show performs for the crowd. By ANDREA WAGNER DN Staff Writer With hometown hoopla, Red Bluff residents and guests gathered down by the water this weekend for the three- day River Park Festival. Water was the source of all things festival, from a water sports demon- stration on the river to raising money for the McGlynn Pool. It was also the last year anyone could enjoy the river as it is in Red Bluff. Activities spread out from the river throughout the city — golf tourna- ments, a fun run and parties at down- town businesses. The event also focused on Red Bluff Union High School reunions. Tying the event together Saturday, many alumni participated in the air and water show on the river. The afternoon began with a nation- al anthem and a helicopter show by PJ Helicopters, piloted entirely by Red Bluff alumni, including brothers Mark, Mike and Dave Gunsauls. The show on the water took center stage with enthusiasts doing tricks with water skis, wakeboards, kneeboards, kite boards and barefoot. Performers varied from local hob- byists to professionals. Gianna Dinatale, 16, a world wake- board competitor from Discovery Bay came to Red Bluff to perform after coming out of rehab from an injury. She was sponsored by CWB Boards, Jet Pilot, Exile Audio and Liquid Trends Marine Audio Installers. She rode and flipped down the river on a wakeboard. Jason “Shakey” Vine, a 1993 Red Bluff Union High School graduate and they are not missing anything,’’ Allen told AP. ‘‘They want to figure out if there are any more bodies and if so, how many. They want to rule out the possibility that yes there are more or that no, there are not.’’ Investigators also continued on Sunday to look over the scene for any clues as to why the truck driver plowed through the railroad crossing on Friday. It’s expected to take up to a year to pinpoint the cause of the crash. ‘‘Just from handling or being on the scene of so many accidents, there are so many alternatives to consider,’’ Allen said. ‘‘Not necessary just drugs or alcohol, but fatigue, dri- ver inattention. Did he have a CB (citizen band radio)? Was he talking to his buddies behind him? If so, was he looking in the side view mirror and not looking at the road ahead?’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure.’’ National Transportation Safety Board member Earl Weener said Sunday that the flashing lights at the cross- ing guard, which are set to blink for 25 seconds before a train approaches, would have been visible from a half- mile away if a motorist was driving at the highway’s 70 mph speed limit. The investigation has not yet revealed how fast the driver, who was approaching the crossing from the south, might have been going, Weener said. Two truck drivers and a train engineer watched help- lessly as a semitrailer skidded the length of a football field before it smashed through crossing gates and into the train before noon on Friday. The drivers were part of a three-truck convoy that saw the gates come down and the warning lights go off as the California Zephyr approached, National Trans- portation Safety Board member Earl Weener said Satur- day. They stopped, but the driver of the big rig in the lead did not, he said. At the time of the collision, Weener said visibility was excellent and the crossing gates and warning lights were working. The train’s engineer saw the truck approaching the crossing and realized the collision was inevitable, he said. local engineer involved with the Save the Pool Foundation performed on a kite board. His brother Joe Vine, who graduat- ed RBUHS in 1989 and now owns Red Bluff Copy Center, is a longtime river enthusiast. He took on the river bare- foot behind a boat. New political dynamics roil state’s budget talks SACRAMENTO (AP) — In years past, the June 30 constitutional deadline for a budget to be signed has been merely a foot- note in the political gamesmanship of state budget negotiations, with lawmakers facing no seri- ous consequences for missing the deadline by weeks or even months. This year, the date brings something new — a sense of urgency. Voters’ approval of Proposition 25 last fall means lawmakers will go without pay and daily expense money for each day they fail to pass a bal- anced budget beyond their June 15 deadline to send a spending plan to the gov- ernor. The same initiative also gave the majority party — Democrats — the ability to pass a budget without Republican votes. That should make the process easier in theory, but Democrats still don’t have the ability to raise taxes on their own. That requires a two-thirds vote, and thus some GOP sup- port. Still, Democrats are feeling pressure to fulfill the intention of the ballot proposition, with or with- out Republican lawmak- ers. ‘‘The majority party takes very seriously our 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 See TALKS, page 7A Jaret Brantley, 30, a professional wakeboarder and instructor from Red- ding whose mother is a Red Bluff grad- uate, operates the Shasta wakeboard shop and school at Holiday Harbor on Shasta Lake. He has been featured in several pictures in Wakeboard Maga- See HOME, page 7A The engineer slammed on the emergency brakes, but the train, which was going about 78 mph in an 80-mph zone, traveled a half-mile more before it finally stopped, he said. The engineer watched the truck smash into two of the train’s 10 cars through the rearview mirror. ‘‘He recalled the event clearly. He saw the truck approaching the train,’’ Weener said. ‘‘At some point, he knew the impact was imminent. He, in fact, watched the collision in a rearview mirror. He was hoping the train was not going to derail.’’ Weener said Saturday that 28 people were unac- See TRAIN, page 7A Daily News photo by Chip Thompson Leland Owens and Cory Cook compete in the final round of Saturday’s Beer Pong Tournament behind Tips Bar in Red Bluff. The pair took the title around 7:30 p.m., after several rounds of competition. The Block Party event was part of the larger Red Bluff Park River Festival that ran Friday .through Sunday at several venues around Red Bluff.