Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/435851
ByAndreByik abyik@redbluffdailynews.com @andrebyik on Twitter GERBER Children here and in surrounding communities will be able to receive a free Christ- mas gift at the Gerber Children's Christmas Fiesta on Saturday. The event, which has been or- ganized by Gerber-raised music artist Danny Munoz, community organizations and others, will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at 412 San Benito Ave. in Gerber and is free to enter. Gifts will be provided for children 12 years old and younger. A children's Christmas event has been a tradition in Gerber for many years, Munoz said in a re- lease. Originally organized by the Gerber Women's Club and then taken on by the Gerber Park Com- mittee, "these groups made sure GERBER Children's Christmas Fiesta offers free gi s By Andre Byik abyik@redbluffdailynews.com @andrebyik on Twitter RED BLUFF The City Council on Tuesday approved a resolu- tion that authorizes City Man- ager Richard Crabtree to enter agreements with the state to col- lect and distribute sales tax reve- nue after voters here approved a quarter-cent sales tax increase in November. The agreements with the state Board of Equalization (BOE) for implementation of a local trans- actions and use tax would allow the BOE to charge the city up to $175,000 for preparatory and ad- ministration costs, according to city staff. "I have to say, when I read this I was shocked when I saw what BOE could actually charge us," Mayor Clay Parker said during the City Council's meeting. Crabtree echoed that senti- ment, but said the BOE is the only RED BLUFF State could charge city $175K Citymanagersaysactual amount may be lower By Rich Greene rgreene@redbluffdailynews.com @richgreenenews on Twitter RED BLUFF The Tehama County Board of Supervisors ratified the existence of a local emergency caused by flooding problems and further exacerbated by weeks of winter storms at its Tuesday meeting. Supervisors passed that for- mality with little discussion, then spent the next two hours hearing from the county staff and local residents in a meeting that resem- bled a town hall meeting. "We all need to help one an- other. That's what this commu- nity is famous for," Tehama Dis- trict Fair Board President Linda Durrer said at one point. After a couple spoke about losing all of their belongings in the initial Dec. 3 flood, they said they felt both scared and blessed because no one was hurt — the board asked if the fair could help out. Durrer made a phone call and later in the meeting reported the fairgrounds would offer up RV spaces for no charge to residents affected by the storm. Supervisor Dennis Garton said such a move could offer at least some sense of normalcy. County staff explained the rati- fied local emergency was the pre- requisite for the governor and president doing the same, which would start the process of pro- viding funding opportunities for loan assistance and other cleanup efforts. The balance between bureau- cratic process and action was at the heart of much of the discus- sion. Garton was vocal through- out the meeting about what the county could be doing right now for residents. He asked about efforts to fix a broken berm on private property in the Dairvyille area believed to have been one of the underlying causes of the floods. NORCAL STORM Supervisorsratifyemergency Board also speaks with residents By Rich Greene rgreene@redbluffdailynews.com @richgreenenews on Twitter RED BLUFF A ceremony was held Wednesday to mark the formal ground-breaking for the new Tehama County Court- house. Local officials and guests from California's judicial sys- tem gathered at 1760 Wal- nut St. where the two-story, 62,033-square-foot courthouse will be constructed on 4.4 acres of property the state pur- chased from Tehama County. The new building, scheduled to be completed in fall of 2016, will include five courtrooms, a jury assembly room and sepa- rate corridors away from the public for the transportation of in-custody detainees. The projected $56 million building will consolidate court services in a single location replacing the historic county courthouse built in 1922, the Tehama County Courts Build- ing built in 1988 and the Corn- ing Courthouse, which was closed in 2013. "The historic courthouse and the annex will be missed, but they were built for another century," said Tehama Supe- rior Court Presiding Judge John Garaventa. Garaventa said the new building will be a "temple of justice" for those who use it. Assistant Presiding Judge Todd Bottke said the project would not have become a re- ality without the assistance of the Judicial Council of Califor- nia, which he thanked on be- half of all of Tehama County. "While the magnificent new courthouse will be constructed with concrete, steel and glass, it is the nonetheless the efforts and dedication of these men and women that we recognize COURTHOUSE 'TEMPLE OF JUSTICE' Official ground-breaking at site of new courthouse DAILYNEWSPHOTOBYRICHGREENE Tehama Superior Court Judges Matthew McGlynn, John Garaventa, Todd Bottke and Jonathan Skillman shovel dirt Wednesday in a ceremonial ground-breaking for the new Tehama County Courthouse. An artist's rendering of the new Tehama County Courthouse. Calendar..........A2 Police Logs.....A3 A&E..................A5 Opinion............A6 Sports.............. B1 Weather ..........B8 Index............... ## INDEX Cal Fire offers residents free chimney brushes on loan at various fire stations in Tehama County. PAGEA4 FIRE SAFETY Publicurgedtoclean chimneys, wood stoves Shrubs are an easy answer to landscaping questions, graceful year a er year with occasional pruning. PAGE A3 GARDEN CLUB Shrub shapes and uses to solve garden issues Three prisoners who escaped from Alcatraz in 1962could have survived and mad it to land, scientists say. Page A14 PRISON BREAK Alcatraz escapees could have made it to shore A er a half-century of Cold War acrimony, the US and Cuba move to restore diplo- matic relations. Page B5 HISTORIC ACCORD United States, Cuba move to patch relations "The historic courthouse and the annex will be missed, but they were built for another century." — Tehama Superior Court Presiding Judge John Garaventa COURT PAGE 7 STORM PAGE 7 TAX PAGE 7 FIESTA PAGE 7 » redbluffdailynews.com Thursday, December 18, 2014 50CENTS AN EDITION OF THE CHICO ENTERPRISE-RECORD 7 58551 69001 9 Volume130,issue20 Good morning, thanks for subscribing Mike Jensen BASKETBALL Holiday Classic 1st Round Sports B1 PETS Adoption event starts today Lifestyles A4 FORECAST High: 53 Low: 49 B8 Checkoutourcontinuous news feed, short Tout videos, photo galleries and more. VISITREDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM EVENMORE ONTHEWEB