Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/35019
TUESDAY JUNE 28, 2011 Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com Visions of Democracy See Inside American Profile RED BLUFF Manta Rays Sports 1B Showers likely 72/56 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 Moving beyond Editor’s note: This is the first story in a series on homelessness leading up to the July 5 Red Bluff City Council meeting on a pro- posed ordinance to rezone an area on Breckenridge Street that will allow for a permanent, year-round homeless shelter. By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer After being released from prison William Williams was dropped off on the streets of Red Bluff with few options for sup- port. As a parolee with a tracking anklet, he was lim- ited to only a few places where he could go. With no family ties in Tehama County and unable to trans- fer his parole to his home- town in Oregon, Williams settled for a homeless encampment along the Sacramento River in the East Sand Slough. He spent his days look- ing for a job. Every day he returned to the camp defeat- ed, unable to get any work. After three weeks on the streets, Williams was walk- ing across the Del Taco parking lot toward the camp when he was approached by a man who asked him if he needed a job. He gave Williams a phone number and told him to call. The number belonged to Northern Services, a local landscaping company. Williams got a part-time job working with the com- pany and eventually secured a full-time position. Northern Services Gen- eral Manager Brandon Lengtat said he is impressed with Williams’ work ethic and self-motiva- tion. Marijuna ordinance to get 2nd reading By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer The Corning City Council will hold the second reading of an ordinance banning medical marijuana dispensaries at tonight’s (Tuesday) meeting. The ordinance adds a chapter to the city municipal code that defines a dispensary as a collective or cooperative with four or more members and bans a dispensary within Corn- ing city limits. The ordinance would replace the temporary interim ordi- nance set to expire on Aug. 6. Also under discussion will be the contract for City Attor- ney Michael Fitzpatrick, which is up for renewal. Staff reports show a proposal for a set monthly fee of $5,600 a month or $67,600 per year, which includes council meetings, work throughout the week and litigation up to a 100-hour cap. The report shows the city has spent $69,134 to date. The summary also mentions the retention of Jody Burgess, who has filled in on occasion for Fitzpatrick, with a proposal for $3,500 per month for Fitzpatrick and $2,000 a month to retain Burgess. Council will discuss the Solano Street repaving plan and long-term funding plan in addition to 2011 street paving pro- jects. The plan divides the 2.32-mile street, which is one of the main streets, into nine segments with each divided further into subsegments. The Corning City Council meets the second and fourth Tuesday of the month at City Hall, 794 Third St. Meeting minutes and agendas are available at www.corning.org. Brown ditches election, plans for more cuts Daily News photo by Tang Lor William Williams performs does some landscaping work as he focuses on turning his life around. “He works harder than some of the other guys even though he was biking 14 miles to work each day and working long hours outside in the sun,” Lengtat said. Williams now lives in an 18-foot travel trailer out near Jellys Ferry Road on the property of a friend from church. He’s working toward finding permanent housing. “It isn’t perfect, but it’s better than being under- neath the bridge,” he said. Williams, 28, says he’s racked at least 20 years of incarceration, having been in and out of the system since he was 8 years old. His most recent offense was a first degree residen- tial burglary in Corning five years ago. At the time, he was on parole for a prior conviction of second degree bank robbery. When his past comes up, he’s honest about it, he said. Being honest and having self-motivation has helped in turning his life around. But that can’t be said for everyone. Having lived the life and known many of the people who choose to live in encampments, Williams said even if a permanent, year-round shelter were built, about 80 percent of the homeless population See BEYOND, page 7A Let there be light CORNING — The lights are shining again at the Corning High School varsi- ty baseball field thanks to volunteers from the Pacific Gas & Electricity Co. The school bought replacement parts for burned out bulbs and broken light fixtures but had no way of putting them in. When Maintenance and Operations Director Lonnie Thompson contacted PG&E for assistance, the company responded with a bucket truck and a team of volun- teers. In mid-May a crew started the project, but it was put on hold because the unseasonably late rain made the ground too soft for the truck to go onto the field. PG&E workers Craig Wimer and Jeff Sharp returned in June to finish the work. The support given by PG&E is a great help, Thompson said. A well- lighted field will allow for baseball games to be sched- uled to run into the evenings or to be played later in the day, as the earlier games often times exclude the community and parents. “Last year we had to reschedule all games during daylight hours because of no or poor lighting on the field,” Thompson said. Courtesy photo PG&E workers use a bucket truck to replace burned out bulbs on the Corning High School varsity baseball field. 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 SACRAMENTO (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday abandoned his plan to hold a special election this year on renewing expiring tax hikes and instead said he will balance California’s budget with a combination of spending cuts and a projected increase in normal tax revenue. Brown announced the latest approach at a news confer- ence while accompanied by the leaders of the state Assem- bly and Senate, both fellow Democrats. They agreed to pur- sue a budget for the coming fiscal year without support from Republicans, who had refused to accept the centerpiece of the Democratic approach: an extension of expiring tempo- rary tax increases. Brown had hoped to extend the tax increases that are expiring this week, but he needed two Republican votes in each house to bring the proposal before voters. A vote on the Democratic plan was expected as early as Tuesday after- noon. 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