Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/39903
Monday, August 22, 2011 – Daily News 3A Local Calendar To add an upcoming event in the Local Calendar, submit information well in advance to the Daily News, attention Calendar, P.O. Box 220, Red Bluff, 96080 or e-mail to clerk@redbluffdailynews.com. Include a contact name and telephone number. MONDAY,AUGUST 22 Red Bluff English as a Second Language class, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Red Bluff High School Adult Ed building, 1295 Red Bud, 736-3308, same time Tuesday and Wednes- day and 9 a.m.to 12:20 p.m.Thursdays, free childcare 9 a..m.to 12:20 p.m.classes in Richlieu Hall, 900 John- son St. Head Injury Recreational Entity, 10 a.m., St. Eliz- abeth Community Hospital, Coyne Center, Rusty, 529- 2059 High school diploma prep class for adults, 3:30- 5:30 p.m., Red Bluff High School Adult Ed building, 1295 Red Bud, 736-3308, same time Tuesday and Wednesday and 3:30-6:30 p.m.Thursdays Key to Life, 6 p.m., Family Resource Center, 220 Sycamore St. Suite 101, 528-8066 Masterworks Chorale Rehearsal, 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m., Red Bluff Presbyterian Church, 838 Jefferson St., 527-4203 Red Bluff Community Band Summer Concerts in the Park, 8 p.m., Red Bluff River Park, Monday nights through Aug. 29, 727-8744 Salvation Army Writing Class, 9:30-11:30 a.m., 940 Walnut St., 527-8530 Sun Country Quilters Community Service Group, 9 a.m.to 3 p.m., Family Resource Center, 220 Sycamore St. Suite 101, 528-8066 Sun Country Quilters Guild Meeting, 7 p.m., Westside Room, Red Bluff Community and Senior Center, 1500 S. Jackson St. TeenScreen Mental Health Appointments, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., free, by appointment only, Youth Empowerment Services, 1900 Walnut St., 527-8491, Ext. 3012 US citizenship preparation class, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Red Bluff High School Adult Ed building, 1295 Red Bud, 736-3308, same time Tuesday and Wednesday Corning Alcoholics Anonymous, noon Monday through Friday, 5 p.m. Thursday, 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday, 783 Solano St. Healthcare District, 6 p.m., district office building, 145 Solano St., conference room Narcotics Anonymous, and 7 p.m., 820 Marin St., 824-114 or 586-0245. Meetings daily through Satur- day, additional meeting noon Mondays Sewing group, 9 a.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 Spanish Adult Education, 5 p.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 Strategies for Success, Life Skill classes, 1:30 p.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824-7670 TUESDAY, AUGUST 23 Red Bluff Alzheimer's and dementia support group, 6 p.m., Lassen House, 705 Luther Road, 529-2900 Cribbage Club, 6:30 p.m., Rio Vista Mobile Estates. Call Jerold 527-6402 for more information. First Five Tehama, 3-5 p.m. Tehama County Department of Education, 1135 Lincoln St. International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, 6:45 p.m., Masonic Hall 822 Main St. 527-6715 PAL Kickboxing,6 p.m., 1450 Schwab St., 529- 8716 or 200-3950 Pinochle for Seniors, 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., 1500 So. Jackson St., Free, 527-8177 Playtime Pals Playgroup, 9:30 a.m., Family Resource Center, 220 Sycamore St. Suite 101, 528-8066 Red Bluff Rotary, noon, Elks Lodge Take Off Pounds Sensibly — TOPS, 10 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 525 David Ave., 824-0556 or 529-1414 Tehama County Board of Supervisors, 10 a.m., board chamber, 727 Oak St. Tehama County Tea Party Patriots,6 p.m., Grange Hall, 20794 Walnut St. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1932, 7 p.m. Veterans Building, Oak St. Weight Watchers meeting, 9 a.m., 6 p.m., weigh-in starts half-hour before meetings, 485 Antelope Blvd., #N, next to Bud's Jolly Kone, 1- 800-651-6000 Corning City Council, 7:30 p.m., City Hall, 794 Third St. Disabled American Vets, 7 p.m., Veterans Memorial Hall, 1620 Solano St. Domestic Violence Information and Support Group (Spanish language), 10 a.m. to Noon, Olive Room at the Corning Healthcare District, 275 Solano St. 528-0226. Jewelry beading class, 9:30 a.m., Family Resource Center, West and South streets, 824- 7670 Lotto numbers SACRAMENTO (AP) — The winning num- bers drawn Saturday night in the California Lottery's ''SuperLotto Plus'' game were: 6-16-31-42-45 Meganumber: 6. More than a hobby, less than a job It's true that "mystery shoppers" get paid to pose anonymously as ordinary shoppers in order to give the company that hires them feedback on a retailer's customer service and the general consumer experience. However, it's not as simple or lucrative as many have been led to believe. If recently you have received unsolicited emails or seen newspa- per ads that claim you can earn a living as a secret or mystery shop- per by dining at elegant restaurants, shopping at pricey stores or check- ing into luxurious hotels, beware! The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers about scams in this area. The way it works legitimately is that once "hired," mystery shoppers make a particular purchase in a store or restaurant, for example, and then report on the experience. Typi- cally, the shopper is reimbursed for the time it takes to perform the "shop" and can keep the product or service. Mystery shopping is a part-time activity, at best. But scammers are using newspaper ads and emails to create the impression that they have lucrative mystery shopper jobs to offer with reputable companies. These ads usually promote a web- site where consumers can "register" to become mystery shoppers, but only after you pay a fee for infor- mation about a certification pro- gram, a directory of mystery shop- ping companies, or a guarantee of a mystery shopping job. And the whole scam is tak- ing on a new face, using the U.S. mail to deliv- er the scam infor- mation. People have report- ed receiving a letter and a large check by mail stat- ing, "We are pleased to invite you to participate in a paid consumer research project in your area as a Mystery Shop- per." The letter mentions earning extra cash for secret shopper assign- ments at local business- es. It goes on to instruct the recipient to deposit the enclosed check and use the funds to cover the first week's shopping assignments. Specific instructions are provided on how to use the money and then to wire a portion of the money via Western Union. The truth is there is no real "shopping certification." Con- sumers who try to get a refund from promoters of mystery shopping jobs are almost always out of luck. Either the business doesn't return the phone calls, or if it does, it's to try another scam. Becoming a legitimate mystery shopper for a legitimate company doesn't cost anything. Here's how to do it: Visit the Mystery Shopping Mary Hunt Everyday Cheapskate Providers Association (MSPA) website at www.mysteryshop.org for information on how to register to be a mystery shopper with a MSPA-member company, to review a data- base of available jobs and for additional information on the industry in general. Sign up with as many companies on the MSPA website as you can. Be patient. It's very pop- ular and flooded with new shoppers, so it may take time for you to get your first assignment. Be responsive. When you're emailed with your assignment, reply as soon as you can. Follow the directions exactly as presented, and complete the first assignment as well as you can to increase your chances of being given a more desirable assignment in the future. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including her best-selling classic "Debt-Proof Living." You can email her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. DUI campaign in place through Labor Day The Tehama County Avoid the Five Summer Anti-DUI Campaign started Aug. 19 and continues through Sept. 5. The following are tips for spotting suspected drunk drivers: • Weaving/swerving in and out of the lane •Weaving within the lane quite noticeably •Traveling at speeds much slower than the flow of traffic • Braking erratically or stopping in the lane • Sudden stops for signal lights and slow start once they change • Remaining at the signal lights once they turn green - asleep at the wheel • Making wide turns and/or cutting the corner striking the curb • Headlights off at night or on high beams • Driving with the turn signals on • Straddling the center line of the road or lane lines • The driver looks intoxi- cated - starring straight ahead, face close to the windshield or appears to be quite sleepy • Aggressive driving - speeding, tailgating and multiple lane changes or unsafe passing may be the tell-tale signs of intoxica- tion How to Report a Drunk Driver: • Call 911 and tell them you wish to report a sus- pected drunk driver. You do not have to give your name. • Give a complete description of the vehicle, such as make, model, color and license plate number. • Give the exact location of the vehicle, including the name of the road, cross streets and the direction they're traveling. • Describe the manner in which the vehicle is being driven. • Do not try to stop the car or detain the driver. Leave that to a law enforce- ment officer Frequently Asked Questions Question: How many people are killed by drunk drivers in California each year? Answer: In 2009,950 people were killed and 25,914 were injured in alco- hol-related crashes in Cali- fornia, compared to 1,025 fatalities and 28,463 injuries in 2008. This represents a 7.3 percent decrease in alco- hol involved fatalities between 2008 and 2009 and a staggering 26.8 percent drop since 2005. Alcohol impaired fatalities account for approximately 31 per- cent of total traffic fatalities in California. Source- Fatality Analy- sis Reporting System (PARS) and CHP SWITRS 2009 provisional data. Question: What are the reasons behind the signifi- cant decline in alcohol- related fatalities in Califor- nia in recent years? Answer: A variety of factors have contributed to the substantial improve- ments in DUI fatality rates, including increased DUI enforcement, wide- spread DUI checkpoints, regional Avoid DUI Task Forces and the Report Drunk Drivers. Calf 911 campaign. Collectively, this combination of unre- lenting enforcement and public education are con- tinuing to bring the num- bers down. Question: How many people are arrested for DUI each year? Answer: In 2009 in Cal- ifornia, 208,531 people were arrested for DUI. That's down from 214,811 in 2008 and but higher than the 203,866 in 2007. Source- Department of Motor Vehicles, Question: How do I know if a driver is driving drunk or just a bad driver? Answer: There are a variety of clues that might indicate a drunk driver, including: turning wide, almost striking another vehicle, weaving, swerving or turning abruptly, follow- ing too closely, erratic breaking and driving with headlights off, among oth- ers. Question: How can the public report a drunk dri- ver? Answer: Call 911 from your mobile phone when it is safe to do so. In the case of an emergency, drivers should pull over before making a call, if the situa- tion safely permits. The best place to stop is in a desig- nated parking space. If you continue to receive a busy signal when calling 911, call your local police or sheriffs department to report a drunk driver. Question: What hap- pens when someone calls 911 to report a suspected drunk driver in California? Answer: The 911 dis- patcher will ask for a vehi- cle description (make, model, and color), the exact location, and the license plate number. That informa- tion will then be relayed to officers in the field. Question: Do I have to give my name if I call to report a suspected drunk driver? Answer: No, you can remain anonymous. Question: If I see a drunk driver, should I try and stop the car or talk to the driver? Answer: No. Leave that to trained professionals. Don't try to stop or follow the vehicle or detain the drunk driver if they stop. Do not attempt to act in the capacity of any police, fire or medical personnel unless you are properly trained and authorized to perform that function. Question: What does a DUI cost? Answer: A DUI in Cali- fornia can cost anywhere from $5,200 to $10,200 or higher including: •Vehicle tow charges- $125 • Bail- $110 • Attorney fees- $500 just to plead guilty; $2,500 and up to contest it • Penalties and court fees- $1,500 to $2,500 • DUI School- $650 • Insurance rate increase for three years- $2,500- $5,000 Plus: two days in jail, three years probation, dri- ver's license suspension, missed time off work and a DUI conviction on your record for 10 years. Medicare workshop offered Wednesday Passages Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Pro- gram is presenting a Welcome to Medicare and more work- shop 2-4 p.m., Wednesday at the Red Bluff Community and Senior Center, 1500 S. Jackson St. Important questions that will be answered include: • What is Medicare? • Do I really need a Medicare Part D prescription plan? • Are there programs available to lower my Medicare health and prescription costs? • What happens if I miss my initial Medicare enrollment period? • How will Healthcare Reform affect my new Medicare Benefits in 2012? Those new to Medicare will be deluged with information from different insurance companies marketing their prod- ucts. Learning the basics before making any decisions as to what to do next may save you a lot of trouble and money. You may have heard that Medicare has changed or you Beef 'N Brew Sept. 17, 2011 Downtown Red Bluff Microbrew, vendors Beef appetizers Tickets @ Sparrow Antiques Main St. Let's Talk About Hair Jeannie Stroing Perm, Cut & Set Special $ 450 Antelope Blvd. Bus 528-2900 Cell 526-1304 Sept. 1st through Dec. 31st long hair extra 35 won't have the coverage you are expecting. HICAP will clear up any misunderstandings and explain how to make the most of your Medicare. For information, call HICAP at Passages at 1-800-434- 0222. If your group or agency would like a workshop, con- tact Natasha Coulter-LaTorre, Community Outreach Spe- cialist at 898-6715. Passages helps older adults and family caregivers with important services to empower them to remain confident in their ability to sustain and enjoy independent lives. For information about Passages services go to www.passages- center.org.