Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/44630
THURSDAY OCTOBER 13, 2011 Breaking news at: Trio Concert Set Friday Pastimes www.redbluffdailynews.com See Page 4A RED BLUFF Football Preview SPORTS 1B Sunny 86/58 Weather forecast 8B By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer City employees in the mis- cellaneous bargaining unit will not be getting raises. 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 City denies union scheme, layoffs likely The Red Bluff City Council, Tuesday, rejected a settlement offer by the union that would have given raises to all employ- ees in the union. In an effort to save 10 employees from being laid off, the union proposed a settlement offer that asked the city to give all members of the union a raise of $97 per each biweekly pay period. The employees would in Jacked return gift the $97 back to the General Fund. The offer only creates a net savings of about $15,000 for the General Fund because of the costs associated with Social Security and CalPERS retire- ment contributions that go up as wages go up, City Manager Martin Nichols said. The city See CITY, page 7A $1M heroin bust made By ANDREA WAGNER DN Staff Writer A large-scale heroin bust Tuesday morning put a southern California man and his little brother in jail after a traffic stop on Interstate 5 near Corning. California Highway Patrol officers pulled over a Volkswa- gen Beetle for speeding just after 9 a.m. on the interstate near Sour Grass Road. The driver, Miguel Javier Gonzalez Soto, 31, of San Juan Capistrano, was arrested when a search of the vehicle uncovered Soto 27.5 pounds of heroin in a concealed compartment, said Sheriff's Sgt. Rod Daugherty. The case was turned over to the Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement Task Force. Soto was arrested on charges of possession of nar- cotic for sale, trafficking of a narcotic, using a com- partment to conceal a controlled substance and child See HEROIN, page 7A Daily News photo by Julie Zeeb Vista Middle School students do jumping jacks for one minute straight Wednesday in the gym as a part of Let's Jump, a nationwide attempt by National Geographic Kids magazine to set a Guinness World Record. By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer Vista Middle School students were among Tehama County resi- dents participating in Let's Jump, a nationwide attempt by National Geographic Kids to set a Guinness World Record. The effort included 85 seventh- and eighth-graders doing one minute of continuous jumping jacks, said Sierra Cascade Nutrition and Activity Consortium Site Assistant Alyson Wylie. "They're trying to get the highest number of kids across the nation participating," Wylie said. "They're doing it in support of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move cam- paign." Vista staff member James Silva served as the independent witness for the physical education classes participating at 9:20 and 10:30 a.m. "This is the first time we've done something like this in quite a while," said PE teacher Connie Billings. "It's kind of neat. It's great when you can get kids to move. Our program has worked so hard on the idea of getting them to move more Effort to repeal California gay history law fails SACRAMENTO (AP) — Opponents of a Califor- nia law requiring that the contributions of gays and lesbians be taught in public schools failed Wednesday in their attempt to qualify a bal- lot referendum to repeal the law. The groups wanted to force a vote on Senate Bill 48, the nation's first law requiring that public schools include gay rights mile- stones and gay and lesbian contributions in social stud- ies lessons. It takes effect in January. Groups that had been cir- culating signature petitions said they would not meet Wednesday's deadline. Traditional Values Coali- tion spokesman Benjamin Lopez said the groups ''just feel that we're not in a posi- tion to file.'' He would not elaborate or say how close they came to collecting the required 505,000 petition signatures. ''We're still actually counting,'' he said by late afternoon. ''Regardless, we are not filing.'' Ron Prentice, chief exec- utive officer of California Family Council, which sup- ported the effort, said in an e-mailed statement to his members that the signature drive had fallen short. Equality California spokeswoman Rebekah Orr, who represents California's largest gay rights group, said supporters are relieved but expect a continued fight in the courts, Legislature, at the ballot box or in local school districts that must imple- ment the law. Brad Dacus, a spokesman for the Pacific Justice Institute, said his organization and other opponents will now try to make the law an issue in next year's re-election cam- paigns by Democrats who supported the measure. Dacus said opponents See REPEAL, page 7A 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 POWER PRODUCTS DOLMAR Red Bluff Outdoor Power not just now, but during their life- time." Billings said the event at Vista was a part of the great partnership the school enjoys with the consor- tium who conducts Harvest of the Month at area schools. One of several activities at the school to encourage a healthy lifestyle, the harvest brings in a dif- ferent fresh fruit or vegetable for students once a month, Wylie said. "We have a very good relation- ship with Vista," she said. "Yester- See JACKED, page 7A Corning seeks prowler suspect A Corning woman was asleep with her two young children when she awoke to a prowler reportedly inches from her window in her backyard Monday morning. Corning Police offi- cers responded to the call at the residence at about 6:30 a.m. in the 1400 block of First Street when they saw a man running from an alley north of the residence, a release said. The man, Arturo Razo Partida, was identified as the suspect seen in the victim's backyard, the release said. Partida reportedly stood inches from the open window during the incident. Partida was placed under citizen's arrest and booked into the Tehama County Jail. He was charged with being a prowler. Bail was set at $5,000. -Andrea Wagner Orchard Fest offers county's best By JULIE ZEEB DN Staff Writer The 14th annual Dairyville Orchard Festi- val is just days away with the event set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Lassen View School, 10818 Highway 99E. "It's an amazing day that showcases our local bounty," said Chair- woman Marcie Skelton. "There will be about 60 craft booths and food ven- dors along with the com- munity service organiza- tions." Antelope Creek, Maisie Jane nuts, Burli- son Fruit Stands, Lucero Olive Oil and Tehama Angus Ranch are among the local vendors who will be in attendance, she said. "We try to have a vari- ety of high quality, non- commercially made items," Skelton said. "It's an wonderful event where over $110,000 has been given in scholarships through the years." All money raised goes to scholarships for local students in two categories — for graduates of Lassen View School and for upper division stu- dents who are majoring in agriculture, she said. "The sun should be out Courtesy photo A wide variety of Tehama County's agricultural bounty and much more will be available at the 14th annual Dairyville Festival, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday at Lassen View School, 10818 Highway 99E. and the weather should be good so it should be a great day," Skelton said. This is the fourth year Skelton has been involved in the festival. "I live in the communi- ty and I thought it's be a good way to get involved and give back," Skelton said. The Tehama County Animal Care Center is just one of many groups attending the festival. "We will be sending adoptable dogs and kit- tens to the Dairyville Orchard Festival," Man- ager Mark Storrey said. "Animals will be available for adoption from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. via the non-prof- it Providing Essentials for Tehama Shelter (PETS) and shelter volunteers." Animals adopted at the festival or the shelter Sat- urday will have spay or neuter and rabies fees waived, Storrey said. "We have had an increase in animals enter- ing the shelter this year See FEST, page 7A