Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/427583
2 yearsbeforebeingoffi- cially appointed to the posi- tion in 2012, has been a full- time officer with the city for 27 years. Nanfito makes $178,400 in total salary and benefits, and his contract runs through June 2015. Before Nanfito was ap- pointed police chief by the City Council in 2012, the Red Bluff Peace Officers Association asked council members to consider hir- ing a half-time police chief, saying it would save the city about $50,000 annually in "difficult economic times," according to the proposal provided to the Daily News. Further, in its proposal to the City Council, the police union asked council mem- bers to consider broaden- ing the candidate pool for the police chief position by looking outside the depart- ment. "We believe this would also help bring stability to the department by reducing attrition," the police union said in the 2012 proposal. Former City Manager Martin Nichols at the time said a half-time police chief would not be economically or operationally feasible, ac- cording to a Daily News ar- ticle published in February 2012, and the City Council rejected the proposal. According to the arti- cle, Nichols said appoint- ing Nanfito as the full-time police chief would bene- fit morale at the Police De- partment. In July 2012, Nanfito sub- mitted a report on the "sig- nificant and recurrent attri- tion and retention problem at the Red Bluff Police De- partment." The report, which in- cluded an analysis of the problem, said the "domi- nant" reasons officers leave the department is because of salary and benefits "in comparison with other sim- ilarly situated law enforce- ment agencies and/or other law enforcement agencies in close proximity to this Department..." At Tuesday's City Coun- cil meeting, which was well attended by supporters of the police union and for- mer Red Bluff police offi- cers, Sherman said Nanfito "missed the mark when he attempted to identify" the department's attrition prob- lem. "Nanfito was too close to the issue and could not see its true nature, because he is the problem," Sherman said. "Nanfito tries to pres- ent a professional face to the public, but anyone who has worked beneath him can attest his leadership style ranges from minor bullying to verbally abu- sive dictatorship." The police union's vote of "no confidence" in Nan- fito means that the union is "rejecting Nanfito as their leader and entreating this council to repair the dam- ages he has done," Sherman said. Sherman added that the police union requests the City Council to form a com- mittee to speak to current union members "about the mistreatment they have suf- fered from Chief Nanfito." Sherman said Mayor Clay Parker, who served as sheriff in Tehama County, would be qualified to lead the committee. Sherman's statement on behalf of the Red Bluff Peace Officers Association was made during the pub- lic comment period of Tues- day's City Council meeting. The council took no ac- tion regarding Nanfito or the police union because the issue was not on its agenda. Police FROMPAGE1 of Campbell, earned the Bronze Award for its rose- mary-and-garlic infused ol- ive oil. "Our judges had a blast sampling the aromatic fla- vors and unique tastes of each high quality Califor- nia olive oil," said Kathina Szeto, president and founder of San Benito Ol- ive Festival, a not-for-profit organization. "We want to thank all the talented award winning olive grow- ers and artisans who par- ticipated." Szeto said the contest was a good addition to the celebration and another is planned in 2015. Award FROM PAGE 1 three lanes along High- way 51, known as Capital City Freeway, and blocked lanes further north along Interstate 80. Flash-flood watches were extended for wildfire burn areas, but worries about debris flows did not immediately materialize. On Tuesday, gushing water and muddy debris poured from hillsides about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles, forcing the evac- uation of about 75 homes in Camarillo Springs for much of the day. When the order was lifted, authorities urged people to stay away volun- tarily. No major damage was reported. In Orange County, about 60 homes in rural Sil- verado Canyon also were under a voluntary evac- uation notice. The area burned over the summer and has been the site of previous mudslides. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the rain expected to last through Thursday brought the region close to or beyond normal annual rainfall totals for the first time in years. Just before the storm arrived, the Sierra Nevada snowpack — which counts for most of the state's wa- ter supply — was at just 24 percent of normal for this time of year. But snow was building rapidly with re- ports of 10 inches of snow- fall at elevations of 8,000 feet. Southern California coastal residents faced another problem when a thick tangle of trash washed from city streets into storm drains and onto beaches. Crews in Long Beach were busy clearing the garbage, lifeguard cap- tain Scott Dixon said. AssociatedPresswriters John Antczak in Los An- geles and Kristin Bender in San Francisco contrib- uted to this report. Storm FROM PAGE 1 The Associated Press SANTA ANA A California surgeon has been disci- plined for removing a pris- oner's healthy kidney and leaving the diseased one intact. The Orange County Register reported Tues- day that the state medical board placed Dr. Charles Coonan Streit on proba- tion for three years. The board said Streit, a urologist who has had his license for 41 years, re- lied on memory to decide which kidney to remove because he didn't have ac- cess to the patient's com- plete medical records. The 2012 operation at Fullerton's St. Jude Med- ical Center involved a 59-year-old federal in- mate. The hospital was fined $100,000 because CT scans were left in an office on the day of the surgery. The inmate underwent a second procedure to have the cancerous kidney re- moved. An attorney represent- ing Streit didn't reply to a message seeking com- ment. PROBATION Surgeon disciplined for removing wrong kidney By Lolita C. Baldor The Associated Press WASHINGTON The number of sexual assaults reported by military service mem- bers increased 8 percent in 2014, but details set for re- lease Thursday and a new anonymous survey suggest victims are becoming far more willing to come for- ward and seek help or file complaints than in years past, officials told The As- sociated Press. The officials said there were more than 5,400 sex- ual assaults reported as of the end of the 2014 fiscal year on Sept. 30, compared with a bit more than 5,000 last year. That increase comes on the heels of an unprecedented 50 percent spike in reporting in the previous year. Based on those num- bers, and the anonymous survey conducted by the Rand Corp., officials said that about 1 in every 4 vic- tims filed a report this year, in sharp contrast to 2012, when only about 1 in every 10 military victims came forward. Two years ago, the anon- ymous survey found that about 26,000 services mem- bers said they had been the victim of unwanted sex- ual contact or assault — a number that stunned offi- cials and outraged lawmak- ers, triggering a barrage of congressional hearings and legislative changes. This year, that number dropped to about 19,000— including roughly 10,500 men and 8,500 women. Officials discussed the latest reports on condi- tion of anonymity because the survey results and sex- ual assault statistics have not been publicly released. Many of the numbers are preliminary and could change a bit as the reports are finalized. Defense officials dis- cussed the results with the White House on Tuesday and were expected to re- lease the reports publicly on Thursday. The reports come as Con- gress continues to press for an overhaul of the military justice system to change the way that sexual assault cases are handled. Lawmak- ers complain that the Penta- gon has not done enough to combat sexual assault across the military and make it eas- ier and more acceptable for victims to report harass- ment and assaults. Victims had complained that they were not comfort- able going to commanders to report assaults, particu- larly in the stern military culture that emphasizes rank, loyalty and strength. SURVEY Military sex assaults up 8 percent By Blake Nicholson and Nedra Pickler The Associated Press WASHINGTON Pledging to fulfill a "sacred respon- sibility," President Barack Obama unveiled an initia- tive Wednesday aimed at improving dire conditions and creating opportunities for American Indian youth, more than a third of whom live in poverty. Obama's Generation In- digenous initiative calls for programs focused on better preparing young American Indians for college and ca- reers, and developing lead- ership skills through the Department of Education and the Aspen Institute's Center for Native Ameri- can Youth. Members of the president's staff also plan to visit reservations next year. "Nothing gets me angrier than when I get a sense that our young people early in life are already feeling like opportunities are fore- closed to them," Obama said. "Because that's not who we are." The White House did not provide a cost estimate for the initiative, but a spokes- woman said the adminis- tration plans to fund it with existing money and the help of nonprofit and philan- thropic organizations. The announcement, made as part of the White House Tribal Nations Con- ference that Obama hosted on Wednesday, comes five months after the president and his wife visited the im- poverished Standing Rock Indian Reservation in the Dakotas. The 3,600-square-mile reservation is home to about 8,500 people, many of whom live in run-down homes, and where the un- employment rate runs as high as 20 percent. The sui- cide rate for American In- dians aged 15 to 24 is more than twice the national rate. Vice President Joe Biden said in a morning appear- ance before the conference that for Obama, helping In- dian youth is "something that he came back from his June visit fired up about doing something about." Obama reflected on that visit during his own speech to the conference, recalling stories that children told him there about challenges they faced on the reserva- tion, such as depression and alcohol abuse. "We walked away shaken, because some of these kids were carrying burdens no young person should have to carry, and it was heart- breaking," Obama said. Wednesday's conference involved leaders from 566 federally recognized tribal nations, along with 36 White House Youth Ambas- sadors chosen from around the country through an es- say contest. "People who grow up in a poverty culture some- times need guidance, need values, need a little bit of structure," said Chase Iron Eyes, an attorney and Na- tive American rights activ- ist from Standing Rock who is attending the conference. "Through some of the things the administration is doing, it looks like they're trying to do that," he said. "Youth — they just need the right tools, and maybe they can empower themselves." The White House also released a report Wednes- day acknowledging fail- ures in federal policy and highlighting the need for more tribal help in the ar- eas of economic develop- ment, health and educa- tion. Slightly more than two-thirds of Native youth graduate from high school, according to the 2014 Na- tive Youth Report. One of the report's recom- mendations is to strengthen tribal control of the edu- cation system on reserva- tions. Officials are work- ing to overhaul the Bureau of Indian Education, which is responsible for educating 48,000 Indian students in 23 states, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said. Jewell estimated it would cost more than $1 billion to fix schools with crum- bling infrastructures. Offi- cials are pursuing money through Congress, exist- ing government programs and philanthropic organi- zations. "We have to get creative," Jewell said. GENERATION INDIGENOUS Obama plan aims to help young American Indians CHARLESREXARBOGAST—THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFILE President Barack Obama and Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe David Archambault II, le , watch dancers during a visit to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in Cannon Ball, N.D. By Jacques Billeaud The Associated Press PHOENIX A judge will hold a hearing Thursday to discuss appointing a pros- ecutor to press a contempt- of-court case against Sher- iff Joe Arpaio for repeat- edly disregarding court orders in a racial-profiling case that has dogged the lawman for several years. Arpaio could face pun- ishment ranging from daily fines to jail time if he is found to be in con- tempt. Still, a racial profil- ing expert said he wouldn't expect the judge to jail Ar- paio and instead would probably gradually ramp up the severity of his pun- ishments if the sheriff con- tinued to defy the judge. "I don't think that's very likely, simply because he is an elected official," David A. Harris, a University of Pittsburgh law professor who studies racial profil- ing, said of the possibility of jail time. U.S. District Judge Mur- ray Snow has grown frus- trated over what he said were inadequate internal investigations into wrong- doing by Arpaio's immi- grant smuggling squad, including whether a dep- uty was shaking down immigrants who were in the country illegally. In addition, the judge is up- set over a botched effort by the sheriff's office to re- cover videos of traffic stops that were withheld in the profiling case. Eighteen months ago, the judge found the sher- iff's office had systemati- cally singled out Latinos in regular traffic and special immigration patrols. Snow is requiring Arpaio's offi- cers to video-record traffic stops, collect data on stops and undergo training to ensure they are making constitutional stops. Arpaio vigorously de- nies that his officers have racially profiled people and has appealed part of the decision. Lawyers made arguments Wednes- day in San Francisco be- fore the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals over Ar- paio's appeal. RACIAL-PROFILING CASE Arpaio may face contempt-of-court proceedings ROSS D. FRANKLIN — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio pauses as he answers a question at a news conference at Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Headquarters in Phoenix. R ed Bluff Simple Cremations & Burial Service NowOffering Eco-Friendly urns at economy friendly prices. 722 Oak Street, Red Bluff, FD Lic. 1931 527-1732 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2014 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM |NEWS | 7 A