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6B Daily News – Thursday, October 27, 2011 Oakland police action unnerves some protesters OAKLAND (AP) — The display of police force in Oak- land and Atlanta has unnerved some anti-Wall Street protesters. While demonstrators in other cities have built a working rela- tionship with police and city leaders, they wondered on Wednesday how long the good spirit would last and whether they could be next. Will they have to face riot gear-clad officers and tear gas that their counterparts in Oak- land, Calif. faced on Tuesday? Or will they be handcuffed and hauled away in the middle of the night like protesters in Atlanta? ''Yes, we're afraid. Is this the night they're going to sneak in?'' said activist William Buster of Occupy Wall Street, where the movement began last month to protest what they see as corporate greed. ''Is this the night they might use unreasonable force?'' he asked. The message, meanwhile, from officials in cities where other encampments have sprung up was simple: We'll keep working with you. Just respect your neighbors and keep the camps clean and safe. Business owners and resi- dents have complained in recent weeks about assaults, drunken fights and sanitation problems. Officials are trying to balance their rights and uphold the law while honoring protesters' free speech rights. ''I understand the frustration the protesters feel ... about inequity in our country as well as Wall Street greed,'' Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings- Blake said. ''I support their right to free speech but we also have rules and laws.'' Some cities, such as Provi- dence, R.I., are moving ahead with plans to evict activists. But from Tampa, Fla., to Boston, police and city leaders say they will continue to try to work with protesters to address problems in the camps. In Oakland, officials initially supported the protests, with Mayor Jean Quan saying that sometimes ''democracy is messy.'' But tensions reached a boil- ing point after a sexual assault, a severe beating and a fire were reported and paramedics were denied access to the camp, according to city officials. They also cited concerns about rats, fire hazards and public urina- tion. Demonstrators disputed the city's claims, saying that volun- teers collect garbage and recy- cling every six hours, that water is boiled before being used to wash dishes and that rats have long infested the park. When riot gear-clad police moved in early Tuesday, they were pelted with rocks, bottles and utensils from people in the camp's kitchen area. They emp- tied the camp near city hall of people, and barricaded the plaza. Protesters were taken away in plastic handcuffs, most of them arrested on suspicion of illegal lodging. Demonstrators returned later in the day to march and retake the plaza. They were met by police officers in riot gear. Sev- eral small skirmishes broke out and officers cleared the area by firing tear gas. The scene repeated itself sev- eral times just a few blocks away in front of the plaza. Tensions would build as pro- testers edged ever closer to the police line and reach a breaking point with a demonstrator hurl- ing a bottle or rock, prompting police to respond with another round of gas. The chemical haze hung in the air for hours, new blasts clouding the air before the pre- vious fog could dissipate. The number of protesters diminished with each round of tear gas. Police estimated that there were roughly 1,000 demonstrators at the first clash following the march. Nearly 100 were arrested. Among demonstrators injured was Scott Olsen, a 24- year-old Marine veteran who served two tours in Iraq. Dottie Guy, of the Iraq Veter- ans Against the War, a veterans advocacy group, said Olsen was hit by a projectile while march- ing toward city hall and suffered a fractured skull. A hospital spokesman said Olsen was in critical condition. Demonstrators planned to try again on Wednesday night to march, and could clash again with police. In Atlanta, police in riot gear and SWAT teams arrested 53 people in Woodruff Park, many of whom had camped out there for weeks as part of a wide- spread movement that is protest- ing the wealth disparity between the rich and everyone else. Mayor Kasim Reed had been supportive of the protests, twice issuing an executive order Obama announces help for student loan borrowers DENVER (AP) — President Barack Obama recalled his struggles with student loan debt as he unveiled a plan Wednes- day that could give millions of young people some relief on their payments. Speaking at the University of Colorado Denver, Obama said that he and his wife, Michelle, together owed more than $120,000 in law school debt that took nearly a decade to pay off. He said that sometimes he'd have to make monthly payments to multiple lenders, and the debt meant they were not only paying for their own degrees but saving for their daughters' college funds simultaneously. ''I've been in your shoes. We did not come from a wealthy family,'' Obama said to cheers. Obama said it's never been more important to get a college education, but it's also never been more expensive. Obama said his plan will help not just individuals, but the nation, because graduates will have more money to spend on things like buying homes. ''Our economy needs it right now and your future could use a boost right now,'' Obama said. Obama's plan will accelerate a measure passed by Congress that reduces the maximum required payment on student loans from 15 percent of discre- tionary income annually to 10 percent. He will put it into effect in 2012, instead of 2014. In addition, the White House says the remaining debt would be forgiven after 20 years, instead of 25. About 1.6 million bor- rowers could be affected. He will also allow borrowers who have a loan from the Feder- al Family Education Loan Pro- gram and a direct loan from the government to consolidate them into one. The consolidated loan would carry an interest rate of up to a half percentage point less than before. This could affect 5.8 million borrowers. Student loans are the No. 2 source of household debt. The president's announcement came on the same day as a new report on tuition costs from the College Board. It showed that average in-state tuition and fees at four- year public colleges rose $631 this fall, or 8.3 percent, com- pared with a year ago. National- ly, the cost of a full credit load has passed $8,000, an all-time high. Student loan debt is a com- mon concern voiced by Occupy Wall Street protesters. Obama's plan could help him shore up re- election support among young voters, an important voting bloc in his 2008 election. But, it might not ease all their fears. Anna Van Pelt, 24, a graduate student in public health at the University of Colorado Denver who attended the speech, esti- mates she'll graduate with $40,000 in loans. She called Obama's plan a ''really big deal'' for her, but said she still worries about how she'll make the payments. ''By the time I graduate, my interest rate is going to be astro- nomical, especially when you don't have a job,'' Van Pelt said. ''So it's not just paying the loans back. It's paying the loans back without a job.'' The White House said the changes will carry no additional costs to taxpayers. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., his party's ranking member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said in a statement that while he sup- ports efforts to help struggling graduates, the president's plan was crafted behind closed doors and ''we are left with more questions than answers.'' Last year, Congress passed a law that lowered the repayment cap and moved student loans to direct lending by eliminating banks as the middlemen. Before that, borrowers could get loans directly from the government or from the Federal Family Educa- tion Loan Program; the latter were issued by private lenders but basically insured by the gov- ernment. The law was passed along with the health care over- haul with the anticipation that it could save about $60 billion over a decade. The change in the law was opposed by many Republicans. At a hearing Tuesday, Rep. Vir- ginia Foxx, R-N.C., who chairs a subcommittee with oversight over higher education, said it had resulted in poorer customer service for borrowers. And Sen- ate Republicans issued a news release with a compilation of headlines that showed thousands of workers in student lending, including those from Sallie Mae Inc., had been laid off because of the change. Today, there are 23 million borrowers with $490 billion in loans under the Federal Family Education Loan Program. Last year, the Education Department made $102.2 billion in direct loans to 11.5 million recipients. CASupreme Court denies 2 redistricting challenges SACRAMENTO. (AP) — The California Supreme Court on Wednesday unanimously rejected two Republican chal- lenges to the state's new elec- toral maps, dealing a blow to GOP efforts to halt the new lines that could diminish their political clout. The state's high court rejected two petitions from Republicans challenging the validity of the state Senate and congressional redistricting maps recently adopted by the California Citizens Redistrict- ing Commission. The Supreme Court also rejected their requests for an emer- gency stay that would have halted use of the maps. The court voted 7-0. Voters approved the citizen- led redistricting commission to independently create Cali- fornia's legislative and con- gressional districts in response to decades of gerrymandering by lawmakers that preserved districts for incumbents and the parties. In July, members approved final versions of the district maps for Congress, the state Assembly and Senate, and the state Board of Equal- ization, which administers sales and use taxes. Republicans contend the Senate and congressional maps failed to comply with the Voting Rights Act and did not meet the constitutional cri- teria. The California Republi- can Party is also backing a petition for a ballot referen- dum seeking to overturn the state Senate map. The new maps are expected to lead to more Democratic- leaning districts than the cur- rent lines as a result of the state's demographic changes. In the state Legislature, Democrats have a better chance at reaching the critical two-thirds majority in the Sen- ate than under the old maps. Such a threshold would move the party one step closer to passing taxes without Repub- licans. The congressional chal- lenge was brought by former Central Valley Republican congressman George Radanovich while the Senate challenge was filed by Orange County resident Julie Vander- most. Legal Notices Legal Notices LEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR BID NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the County of Tehama will re- ceive sealed bids at the Tehama County Administrative Office, 727 Oak Street, Room 202, Red Bluff, California 96080, until 3 p.m. on November 10, 2011 for the following items to be pur- chased by the Tehama County of Tehama: COLOR/BLACK & WHITE COPIER Specifications and Bid Forms may be obtained at the office at the Purchasing Agent by calling (530) 527-3365. The Board of Supervisors re- serves the right to reject any or all bids and/or waive any irregu- larities in any bid received. WILLIAMS J. GOODWIN Purchasing Agent S/By: Steve Hackett, Buyer II Publish: October 27, 2011 ONE NEW ½ TON 4X4 CREW CAB SHORT BED PICKUP TEHAMA COUNTY REQUEST FOR BID NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT bids shall be received until 3:00 p.m., November 10, 2011, in the Administration Office, 727 Oak Street, Red Bluff, CA 96080 for the purchase of one new ½-ton 4x4 crew cab short bed pickup for the District Attorney's Office. All bids must be in the custody of the Purchasing Department at the designated time. In addition to mailed bid submittals, fax submittals will be accepted at (530) 527-3764. Bids shall be submitted on the form provided ONLY. Specifications are available by contacting the Purchasing De- partment at the above address, or by calling (530) 527-4655. The Board of Supervisors re- serves the right to waive in for- malities and irregularities in any bids received. Williams J. Goodwin Purchasing Agent By: Julie Sisneros, Deputy Published: October 27, 2011 LEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLIES A Timber Harvest Plan (THP) will be submitted to Cal Fire in por- tions of: T24N, R2E, sections 12, 1 MDB&M; T@4N, R3E, portions of sections 6, 7, MDB&M; T25N, R2E, portions of 11, 14, 25, 26, 27, 35, 36 MDB&M. The proposed THP is located approximately 1 air miles north of Cohasset, CA. This notice is to request infor- mation about domestic water supplies from class I, II, III and IV watercourses that receive drainage from the THP area and is within 1,000 feet downstream of the THP boundary. The watercources that may be af- fected are Pine Creek, Nud Creek, Rock Creek and unnamed tributaries. If you have any in- formation about domestic water supplies watercources, please contact within 10 days: from Sierra Pacific Industries PO Box 39 Steve Roberts Any pertinent responses will be submitted with the THP to Cal Fire for review. If any domestic supplies are noted, the THP will contain mitigation necessary to protect the domestic water sup- ply. Stirling City, CA 95978 Published: October 13, 20 & 27, 2011 these allowing them to remain. Reed said on Wednesday that he had no choice to arrest them because he believed things were headed in a direction that was no longer peaceful. He cited a man seen walking the park with an AK-47 assault rifle. ''There were some who wanted to continue along the peaceful lines, and some who thought that their path should be more radical,'' Reed said. ''As mayor, I couldn't wait for them to finish that debate.'' Reed said authorities could not determine whether the rifle was loaded, and were unable to get additional information. An Associated Press reporter talked to the man with the gun earlier Tuesday. He wouldn't give his name — identifying himself only as ''Porch,'' an out-of-work accountant who doesn't agree with the protesters' views — but said that he was there, armed, because he wanted to protect the rights of people to protest. People who were arrested trickled out of jail as a crowd of several dozen supporters chant- ed ''freedom'' as they left. ''I think Mayor Reed would do well to learn quickly that you cannot intimidate, you cannot threaten, you cannot jail some- thing whose time has come,'' activist Derrick Boazman said. ''The fact of the matter is this movement's time has come.'' In Portland, Ore., the protest seems to be at a crossroads. Organizers have been dealing with public drunkenness, fight- ing and drug abuse for weeks, especially among the homeless who are also in the camp. Some are floating the idea of relocating it, possibly indoors. Others see that as capitulation. ''I don't know if it would be a good idea. Part of the effec- tiveness of what's going on here is visibility,'' protester Justin Neff said. ''Though I'd do it if there's a possibility that we'd get seen and noticed. I don't know how that would work indoors.'' City officials haven't said what would cause them to forcibly evict the protesters. They said they evaluate the camp daily. In Baltimore, protesters like Casey McKeel, a member of Occupy Baltimore's legal com- mittee, said he wasn't sure aren't sure what to expect from city officials, noting that some cities have arrested protesters in recent weeks. ''Across the country we're seeing a wide range of reac- tions,'' he said. ''For now we're hoping the city will work with us.'' The mayor, Rawlings-Blake, said she is willing to work with them, but they should realize that they are camping out in a city park and that was not its intended use. She said their free- speech rights don't trump the public's right to enjoy the space. ''I have absolutely no interest in a violent exchange,'' she said. ''We want to work with the pro- testers, but the point is to talk about inequity and talk about how we can work together to have a more just society or more equitable Baltimore. ''It's not about pitching a tent. It's about getting the work done,'' she said. Legal Notices Legal Notices LEGAL NOTICE Notice Re: Seizure of Property and Initia- tion of Forfeiture Proceedings, Health and Safety Code Sections 11470 et. seq. and 11488.4. To: All persons claiming any right, title, or legal interest in the following seized property 2000 Dodge Dirango, VIN No. 1B4HS28N6YF259395. (Est. value $4,325.00) valued in terms of United States Currency, seized from or about the person or property of Maria Birructa. Notice is hereby given that the above described property was seized on October 10, 2011 at Corning Road at Barham Ave- nue, Corning, CA by Tehama County Sheriff's Office for al- leged violations of California Health and Safety Code section(s) 11359. On October 10, 2011, non-judicial forfeiture proceedings were commenced by the Tehama County District Attorney in Ac- tion #AS11-505. Please use this case number on all documents and correspondence. You have thirty (30) days from the date of the first publication of this notice to file a verified claim, unless you have received actual notice. The claim must state the nature and extent of any interest you hold in the property, must be verified, and must be filed with the Superior Court Clerk, 633 Washington St., Red Bluff, CA 96080, or the prop- erty will be forfeited to the State. An endorsed copy of the claim must be served on the Dis- trict Attorney, 444 Oak St., #L, Red Bluff, CA 96080 within thirty (30) days of the filing of your claim. Claim forms can be ob- tained from the Asset Forfeiture Clerk, District Attorney¹s Office. Dated: October 19, 2011 Gregg Cohen, District Attorney By: MATTHEW D. ROGERS, Assistant District Attorney Publish: Oct 27 & Nov 3, 10 & 17, 2011 LEGAL NOTICE Pursuant to Section 54972 of the California Government Code, no- tice is hereby given that vacancies will occur December 31, 2011 on the following City of Red Bluff commissions: Airport Commission 2 vacancies Audit Committee 1 vacancy (one year appointment) Loan Committee Member 1 vacancy (one year appointment) Parks and Recreation Commission 2 vacancies (One – 3 year terms (One Student - 1-year term) Planning Commission 2 vacancies Board of Appeals 2 vacancies Interested parties may submit applications, which may be ob- tained at Red Bluff City Hall, 555 Washington Street, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The closing date for receiving appli- cations is Wednesday, Novem- ber 16, 2011 at 5 p.m. Members of boards and com- missions and consultants to state and local government agencies are also required by the City of Red Bluff's conflict of Interest Code to disclose their personal financial interests if they make or participate in mak- ing governmental decisions that could affect their private finan- cial interests. For more information, contact the Deputy City Clerk's Office at 527-2605 ext. 3057. s/CHERYL L. SMITH Deputy City Clerk Publish:October 24, 27 & Nov 4, 2011